Search

show me:

Australians shooting for Olympic glory

3 minute read

Australia's shooting team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games has come into sharp focus at Sydney International Shooting Centre this weekend.

Australia's shooting team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games is beginning to come into sharp focus after the nomination series concluded at the Sydney International Shooting Centre.

Victoria's Penny Smith produced a world-class personal best to win the final women's trap event on Sunday, while Catherine Skinner looks set to defend her Rio 2016 Rio Olympic title.

Smith - who narrowly missed out on selection for the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast - blasted a personal best 47 from 50 targets to defeat Laetisha Scanlan (46) with Skinner (31) taking the bronze medal.

Skinner shot 115 from 125 targets in qualifying to give her a decisive edge on the Olympic nomination scoreboard.

"Missing Commonwealth Games selection was a big disappointment," Smith said.

"But things like that make you a better athlete and a better person."

In the men's trap, NSW's Tom Grice is likely to claim Australia's second quota position after pipping Mitch Iles to second place behind James Willett.

Western Australia's Laura Coles looks destined to qualify as Australia's single women's skeet shooter for Tokyo.

Going into the fourth and final skeet event of the nomination series, Coles trailed 2016 Rio Olympian Aislin Jones by one point but her qualifying score of 114 from 125 targets - eight points higher than Jones' 106 - put her in pole position.

"I'm really, really happy," Coles said.

"I was fighting myself to keep relaxed. When the pressure was on, I focused on my breathing and keeping everything loose. It was all about keeping a calm body and a calm mind."

In the women's 25m Pistol, 2016 Rio Olympian Elena Galiabovitch completed a clean sweep of the nomination trials with another comfortable victory.

The Australian selectors in all shooting disciplines will meet this week to nominate athletes to the Australian Olympic Committee for selection.

The AOC is scheduled to announce the Australian team on March 31.

Think. Is this a bet you really want to place?

For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit www.gamblinghelponline.org.au