THERE comes a time in an athlete’s career when he or she might succumb to pressure and ultimately fail to deliver the goods, but versatile female shooter Renee Rickhi knows that what makes those athletes elite is learning and growing from adversity.

Rickhi, who has had a few of those experiences when her ability and mental resolve were tested and failed, is currently shaping her legacy by mentally managing that competition stress to the point where she even thrives from it.

The diminutive Rickhi is the only female shooter in Jamaica who competes in Shotgun (sporting clay), Pistol Calibre Carbine (PCC) and Practical Pistol Shooting competitions where she is known for her podium finishes in all three disciplines with a high degree of regularity.

Very few men even bother to attempt more than one discipline in the sport let alone three but for Rickhi, a member of the Alpha Angels outfit, it’s all about ignoring the consequences as this has allowed her career to shoot upward, in pistol shooting in particular, after almost six years away from competition.

“Initially I came back to do more rifle (Pistol Calibre Carbine) with the Alpha Angels, formerly known as the Super Six, but the other ladies wanted to shoot matches, and of course we agreed, and that’s how I came back into pistol,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

“I always believe that if you succumb to those consequences of failure then you will never reach your true potential. So though coming back into pistol competition in 2021, after being away since 2015, was a little bit of a challenge, it was just about refining my skills in that discipline — and the more reps with pressure, the more my mind and body learned to cope,” Rickhi shared.

Despite the excitement contesting all three disciplines, Rickhi pointed out that mastering the balancing act requires great commitment and focus to become unmoved by pressure.

“All three disciplines come with their own challenges as they are vastly different so it takes a lot of practise and focus to remember which discipline you’re shooting, the stance, and also to properly plan a stage — so it’s not as easy as people think in this sport,”she explained. “It’s speed and lethal focus as much as it is accuracy so even though I’m running from one target to the other, I have to make sure my accuracy is on point in the shortest possible time,” Rickhi noted.

Still, her most valuable tool remains the inherent confidence that she knows she possesses the skills to execute and excel, much like she did at the Jamaica Rifle Association (JRA)/United States Pistol Shooting Association (USPSA) Christmas Hamper recently.

By virtue of finishing tops in the female category, Rickhi moved up to the B class from where she hopes to continue her rise.

“Winning the Christmas Hamper again was a great achievement for me. It was one of the goals I had for 2022 and so I’m happy that I was able to execute, as I know I can. But whether I win or lose, it’s a learning process so if I mess up one week, I come back the following week with the goal being to do a much better job,” said Rickhi, who also beamed about their third-place finish at the Pan American Handgun Championship in Florida a few months ago.

“That was another massive accomplishment as well as I did make top 10 for female in my category, and for me that was amazing,” she added.

The three-gun sensation’s rise to prominence with her Alpha Angels teammates —Yeonie Campbell, Constable Shayon Francis, Detective Corporal Sasha-gay Mullings, Corporal Kayla Keane and Shevanese Session — has been nothing short of an inspiring story of unwavering passion and determination.

They have assisted each other to navigate some critical crossroads in their career but their biggest obstacle remains the financial weight that comes with the sport.

“When you are up against female competitors in the United States who shoot basically everyday and ammo is easier for them to get, it’s never easy but we didn’t allow that deter us — and our performance speaks for itself,” Rickhi said in reference to their Pan Am finish behind United States and Brazil.

She continued: “Honestly it [financial constraints] can be a lot because three sessions can cost about $30,000 — and that’s on the low side — but I’m sure the other ladies would agree with me when I say our love for the sport continues to drive us.

“Even if we don’t have rounds we still come here and practise our draw and our movements, so we try not to let the challenges — financially or otherwise — deter us. Sometimes we come here and we don’t have any ammo, and Robin [Rickhi] would buy some and we share it and make it work.

On that note, Rickhi, whose husband Robin is also her coach and manager for the Alpha Angels, declared her ambitions for the new year which starts with the Caribbean Open in Purto Rico and also the Florida Open, both in February.

“My goal is to move up from top 15 where I am at now to top 10 against our big shooters. In USPSA [United States Practical Shooting Association] I’m trying to push that to see if I can get to A class. In IPSC [International Practical Shooting Confederation] there is no class, per se, but when it comes to their competition like the one in Puerto Rico I want to finish number one, and that would be number one in the ‘Ladies Carry Optics’,” she ended.