A big field of 60 of Jamaica's top gunners will do battle at Jamaica Rifle Association's (JRA) Christmas Hamper Shoot at Woodleigh Shooting Range in Clarendon on Saturday.

The competitors will use the time on the range to prepare for the International Practical Confederation World shoot in South Africa, which is scheduled for 2025, where only the world's best shooters will get the chance to compete for prizes and top honours, as well as ranking points, to move up the scale to reach the zenith of master shooter. The World Shoot is a Level V championship and Jamaica will have eight spots at that event. It is the highest level in practical pistol competitions worldwide.

Some of the shooters who will be on the rage include Ryan Branwell, Shayon Francis, Adrian Randle and Andy Yap in the Open Division; Yeonie Campbell in Carry Optics, as well as Michael Bradshaw, Anthony Johnson and Matthew Smith-Barrett in Production Division.

All those shooters have enjoyed good form throughout the year, both locally and overseas, where they bettered competitors from other countries.

Bramwell topped his division locally in the JRA's President's Cup IPSC Level III in late October, ahead of Chris Hart and Randle. Bramwell also did well in the US National Championship in November, when he won the Production Optics Senior Division to collect the championship plaque.

Female shooter Campbell, earlier this year copped the Production Division and Ladies Category in the Spectrum Handgun Championship on her home range at Mountain View Avenue. She bettered Johnson in a nail-biter with just one point separating them, while Rohan Wallace was third.

When she competed in the US Nationals, Campbell placed 32nd from a field of 149 shooters in the Production Division and was the first female in the division.

President Rohan Wilson took over the reins of the JRA mid-year after Major John Nelson demitted office ahead of the scheduled elections.

Wilson is upbeat about Saturday's shoot, as well as the high number of competitors who registered. Though not wanting to predict any specific winners, he said that the competition will be "fierce among the competitors in the various divisions."

Former UFC light-heavyweight title contender Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson has died at the age of 38.

The American, who ended his UFC career with a record of 22 wins and six defeats, had been suffering from an undisclosed illness.

Johnson came out of retirement to join Bellator last year, but he was forced to pull out of a light-heavyweight title bout in September 2021 on health grounds.

Speaking to ESPN in October, manager Ali Abdelaziz said Johnson "was not doing well" and asked the MMA world to pray for him.

Bellator's official Twitter account confirmed on Sunday that Johnson had passed away.

"It is with great sadness we acknowledge the passing of Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson," the tweet read.

"The Bellator family is devastated by his untimely passing and we send our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time."

Johnson also competed as a welterweight and middleweight in UFC, with 17 of his 23 overall career wins coming by knockout.

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