Feature: A teen's shotgun debut ignites a family's sporting journey

by sportswriters Wang Meng and Fan Xinyang

LINFEN, China, June 11 (Xinhua) -- It may not be rare to see a father and son compete in the same tournament, but more often than not, it's the son who follows in his father's footsteps. But for the Javines family of the Philippines, inspiration didn't flow from the top down. Everything started with a teenager's spark, and spread like wildfire.

16-year-old Antonio Joseph Javines, or "AJ", was the first in the family to take up shotgun shooting in 2022, driven by a fascination with firearms and the thrill of competition. "I wanted to [try the] shotgun because I'm interested in guns, and I really like this sport because it was fun and interesting," he said after competing at the 2025 Asian Cup in Linfen, north China's Shanxi Province.

It didn't take long before his younger sister Monica Tish Javines, now 13, joined him. Their father, Teddy Javines, who had previously spent over a decade as a competitive pistol shooter, was next to join in. "I was just supporting him," Teddy said. "But a few months after he started, I started also."

Now, all three are active in the sport, and already making a mark.

At the Asian Cup, AJ and Monica teamed up in the junior trap mixed team event. The sibling pair reached the bronze medal match, where they eventually lost to host China. AJ also qualified for the junior men's trap final and finished fifth overall.

"Even though I know a lot of good junior shooters from China and other countries, I did my best," he said. "From the entire tournament, I feel like I did a great job. So [I would rate my performance] a solid nine out of ten," he commented.

Shooting alongside his sister brought added value to the competition. "It feels good because we get to see our progress. We both see our mistakes and we can help each other out if we're having a hard time," he said.

Watching all of this with pride is their mother, Michelle Javines, who plays a quieter but no less meaningful role in the family's shooting journey. "I love traveling. Seeing them playing together, it's a great accomplishment for the family," she said. "I enjoy watching them shoot."

As for their father, Teddy, he brought experience and energy from his pistol-shooting days. While still new to trap, he made headlines of his own by winning gold at the 25th Pan-Pacific Friendship Shooting Competition last year.

He is now set to compete in the Shotgun World Cup this July in Lonato del Garda, Italy only for ranking points.

Teddy noted the best part of this new adventure is training and competing alongside his children. "I always compete with my son, so that's why it's fun," he said.

And he readily admits that the younger Javines are superior shooters. "I think he [is better]," he said, pointing to his son. "And also my daughter. Last year, she won the gold medal in the Philippines' national competition for women's trap. She beat all the senior shooters."

To support their development, Teddy has gone beyond the ordinary. He hired two-time Olympic champion and former world record holder Michael Diamond as the family's coach. "He coaches us every month in the Philippines. He flew from Australia to the Philippines just to train us, monthly," Teddy said, adding that he even built a shooting range in Manila for AJ and Monica - a significant investment in their future.

Although AJ just got started with his shotgun career, the teenager has set his sights on the Olympic Games, and is determined to make the journey on his own terms. "I want to work my own goal and I want to medal in the Olympics," he said.