Even though the participation in shooting sports has grown steadily through the years, these kinds of sports receive little or no local news’ coverage. The shooting sports are not as popular as baseball or football, but it is important to realize that our little island definitely has the potential to create more professional athletes in this sport. One of our athletes who made it internationally in the shooting sports is Philip Elhage, a Dutch sport shooter who was born and raised in Curaçao. He represented the Netherlands Antilles at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, where he competed in the men’s 10m air-pistol. This year he will represent the island of Aruba at the Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. He will carry a different flag, but his excitement and focus are definitely on top, with his island Curaçao at heart.
Why did you take up shooting sports?
Shooting sports run in my blood. Both my parents have a strong relationship with these sports. It is known on the island that my father’s family is involved in the weapon industry, but my grandmother on my mother’s side was also a great shooter in Sint Maarten. I was always fascinated with these sports, but my goal was to have fun. It was till the moment I experienced the opening of the Olympics in Athens in 2004 that made me realize I needed to take it a step further with the Olympics in sight. In 2008 I made my dream come true by joining the team of the Netherlands Antilles at the Olympics in Beijing.
Tell us more about the shooting sports…
There are three disciplines; rifle and pistol where athletes shoot at stationary targets in a range and shotgun, which involves hitting moving targets. In rifle and pistol, participants aim at a target with concentric circles, with those closer to the center earning more points. There are four gun types and three distances: 50m rifle, 10m air rifle, 25m rapid-fire pistol and 10m-air pistol. Shotgun is the art of shooting at a flying target known commonly as a clay target. There are two varieties: trap, where the targets are thrown a long distance from a single trap; and skeet, where targets are thrown from traps on the left and right. At Tokyo 2020, 10m air rifle, 10m-air pistol and clay trap will be included as men’s, women’s and mixed events. While physical fitness is important, athletes require deep reserves of mental strength. There can be victory at one single shot!
You are born and raised in Curaçao, but you will represent the flag of Aruba at the Olympics. How does that feel?
On 10 October 2010 the Netherlands Antilles ceased to exist, with Curaçao and Sint Maarten forming separate nations, although affiliated with the Netherlands. The Netherlands Antilles is no longer able to compete as an independent nation at the Olympic Games, although the athletes may compete for The Netherlands. Curaçao and Sint Maarten are also not eligible to compete in the Olympics as they are not members of the United Nations, which is now a requirement of the International Olympic Committee. Representing the Netherlands at the Olympics has many requirements and it was not ideal for me to combine it with my daily routine. In 2016 the director of the Aruban Olympic Committee approached me and asked me if I wanted to join the Olympic team of Aruba. I immediately said yes! After an intense round of qualifications I made it and I am ready to represent the island at Tokyo. Even though I will not be carrying my own flag, I am grateful to Aruba that gave me this opportunity. I will forever be thankful.
Why do you think shooting sports are not popular on our island?
Sadly enough, shooting sports are still being underappreciated on our island even though they are gaining popularity in the Olympics. The beautiful part of shooting sports is that everybody can take part of it. There is no gender/age distinction and due to the nature of this sport, there are quite a few rules that are detailed and important to follow. Shooting is a tense and testing sport that requires immense skill and nerve. Success depends on staying cool under the enormous pressure. So basically, we can attract more local talents who can take this sport to another level. It is also my goal to focus on teaching youngsters and prepare them for the Olympics.
Tokyo 2021 will be your second experience at the Olympics. How was your first one at Beijing in 2008?
The excitement was real! I felt proud carrying the flag of the Netherlands Antilles in a packed stadium. The day after the opening I had my competition, so I was hesitating if I needed to skip the opening ceremony to rest. At the end, I opted to go, because this was a once in a lifetime experience and I was happy I did. It was my goal to be there and to represent our islands. I had to take it all in and enjoy the fact that I made it that far.
How do you prepare yourself for the Olympics?
Soon I will leave to Mexico to continue my trainings with my coach for three weeks. After that we will leave to Tokyo. I used to be very nervous at the international competitions. Over the past few years, I learned how to deal with disappointments. I worked on improving myself and trusting my abilities. I am well prepared, I know where I stand and I will embrace the 1 hour and 15 minutes to the max.
Do you have a message for the people of Curaçao?
Yes! There is more to sport than football or baseball. Some of the more unpopular sports are just as enjoyable. Part of the reason certain sports do not receive more attention is simply because people do not understand them. Curaçao is a talented island; we have already shown the world how blessed we are with our baseball talents. It is time to shine our lights also on the more unpopular sports, give our youngsters the opportunity to grow into the unknown and give our athletes the support they deserve.