On Wednesday 30^th July, Federal Parliament in Canberra recognised the 1980 Australian Olympic Team, 45 years since the controversial Games. This Olympic Team defied intense public pressure to take part in the Moscow Games. The Prime Minister and Opposition Leader were part of the contingent to celebrate the 1980 Olympic Team as well as acknowledge those athletes who were denied the opportunity to compete.

Around 50 Moscow Olympians, including Rifle athlete Yvonne Hill who now at the age of 87, was the oldest athlete to travel to Canberra to partake in the recognition.  Yvonne was one of the only two Australian Shooting Athletes to compete in Moscow. Hill placed 11th overall in the 50m Rifle Prone Event (Open), and teammate, David Hollister (dec.) placed 15th.

Australian Olympic Committee President, Ian Chesterman said: “The parliamentary recognition will acknowledge the courage and resilience of the Olympians who faced intense public pressure not to compete, and the enduring hurt and pain many of them still feel to this day.”

Australian remains as one of only two countries to compete in every iteration of the Olympic Games.

Read more about the event here: https://www.olympics.com.au/news/moscow-olympic-team-recognised-by-federal-parliament-for-a-welcome-home-45-years-on/

Two finalists, a bronze medallist, and 6^th and 9^th places across the ten events the Australian Shooting Team competed in.

A four-time Olympian, a debutant athlete, and multiple games appearances from the 10 athletes who proudly represented Australia in pistol, rifle and shotgun events.

Closing out the ten days of competition was the Olympic debut event, Skeet Mixed Teams, with Joshua Bell and Aislin Jones representing Australia. The heat picked up, the sun was shining and the grandstand was again full! Bell and Jones shot a combined score of 141 out of 150, finishing in 11^th place overall, and 5 targets away from a medal opportunity.

Shooting alongside the French team and speaking to the atmosphere on the range, Jones said, “Shooting with the French team, the atmosphere was unreal. Having the Aussies intermingled in the French crowd and trying to compete, I don’t think you can match that. It was an incredible experience.”

Bringing his Olympic debut to a close, Bell summarised his experience as, “Memorable”. Speaking to his key takeaways from competition, Bell said, “Confidence is a key takeaway for me. I am sure I am ten times the competitor walking away from this than when I came into competition. I can’t be disappointed. I have held my head high and did my best and unfortunately at the Olympics you need to make sure you always have your best day.”

Head of Delegation and Shooting Australia’s Chief Executive Officer Adam Sachs expressed his gratitude to the team. “I want to thank and congratulate every member of our Shooting Team at these Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Each and every one of them has demonstrated the dedication and professionalism that we have come to expect from members of an Australian Olympic Team.

“I want to pay tribute to Penny Smith and James Willett for making their finals in the Women’s Trap and Men’s Trap finals. On behalf of the entire Australian Shooting community, I offer my heartfelt congratulations to Penny for winning the Olympic bronze medal. We are all so proud of this achievement.

“We look forward to sharing the learnings from our Olympic campaign with the Para Shooting athletes and staff who will travel to France in a couple of weeks’ time. We wish them the very best for their final preparations, and their Paris 2024 Paralympic campaign.”

Competing in his fourth consecutive Olympic Games in the rifle events, and the most senior of the Australian Shooting Team, Dane Sampson commended his teammates for their professionalism, “I think everyone in the team was working in a very professional and respectful way. It was a really supportive environment and I think it was one of the most integrated teams in the four Games I have been part of. The support network around the team was excellent and I don’t think we as athletes could have asked for anything better.”

With the Shooting venue being at a subsite 270 kilometres south of Paris, Sampson said, “This was my first Olympic Games where the athletes have been based in a satellite village. I think this environment was very beneficial to producing high performance results as it attracts less disturbances and distractions, and less chance of being overwhelmed by the environment the Olympic Village can sometimes create.”

Talking to the quality of competition across the 15 shooting events the 340 athletes best athletes from around the world competed in, Sampson said, “The quality of competition has been extremely high and, in many events, higher than expected. The cut off scores required to make a final were also very high when typically you would expect them to be lower than a World Cup, but this was not the case for this Olympics.

This year’s Games was the 10^th consecutive Olympics for Australian rifle coach Petr Kurka. “I have attended three Games as a competitor for Czech and 3 as a coach, and Paris 2024 is the fourth Games coaching the Australian Team.”

Talking to this years preparation and competition, Kurka said, “Leading into the Games I don’t think our preparation in Australia could have been any better. Then spending extensive time in Europe was also extremely beneficial in the lead up.

The two rifle athletes were very ready. The level of competition was high and what we expected as the Olympic Games has the best athletes in the world, and comes with a different kind of pressure.”

The Australian Shooting Team will now commence their departures from Chateauroux, with some of the athletes returning to the Olympic Village in Paris in preparation for the closing ceremony.

FINAL RESULTS

PARIS 2024

SKEET MIXED TEAMS QUALIFICATION AND FINALS

AUSTRALIAN ATHLETES COMPETING:
JOSHUA BELL & AISLIN JONES

Competition commences at 9:00am Local (CEST) / 5:00PM AEST!

The Mixed Team Bronze Medal Match begins at 3.00pm Local (CEST) / 10.00 AEST, followed by the Gold Medal Match

LEARN A BIT ABOUT THE SKEET MIXED TEAMS EVENT

• No. of Shots in Qualification 150 targets (75 targets per athlete)
• Top 4 Teams advance to Gold and Bronze medal matches
• No. of Shots in Final up to 48 targets (24 targets per athlete)

Athletes wield 12 gauge shotguns, aiming at clay targets released from two houses situated at opposite ends of the shooting field. During qualification, athletes shoot from eight stations, targeting a total of 150 clays (75 targets each). They shoot down single and/or double targets before moving to the next station. Precision, accuracy, and adaptability are essential as athletes navigate through the rounds. The top 4 teams advance to the final rounds, where they confront 48 additional targets. Depending on the station, the athletes shoot down 1 or 2 doubles, meaning they always call for 2 targets at the same time. The top two teams will enter a Gold Medal Match, while the 3rd and 4th teams will enter a Bronze Medal Match.

SEE THE START LIST AND FOLLOW RESULTS

READ MORE ABOUT AUSTRALIAN SHOOTING HISTORY HERE

Final Individual Competition for Shotgun, End of Pistol

The sun stayed behind the clouds for the remaining 50 targets of Skeet Women’s qualification. 

Aislin Jones added to her Day One score of 67 out of 75 targets, with rounds of 23 and 22, resulting in a total qualification score of 112 out of 125. Aislin finished in 25th place.

 “It has been an interesting couple of days with different conditions on both days. Today was overcast which actually made for a really nice background,” she said.

“I am happy with the way I finished today, ending on a positive note and knowing what I can take into my second event tomorrow.”

Aislin made her Olympic debut in Rio where the total number of qualification targets was 75. 

For her second Games in eight years, Aislin believes increasing the qualification targets for women to 125 was a positive change. 

“Going from 75 to 125 targets was such a positive change and made it the same number of targets for men and women,” she said.

“To be honest it is great to be able to shoot two days of competition instead of travelling all around the world for just one day.”

In comparing the competition between men and women, Aislin noted the rise of women in both trap and skeet events. 

“You can now see some of the scores for women are comparable to the men. I think this is fantastic to see,” she said.

“Eight years on for me, from my first Olympic Games, I have really worked on being able to acknowledge an error in a round and come back from it. 

“It is a true testament to the experience I have had and I can now back myself, knowing that I am capable.” 

With individual competition now complete for Aislin, her focus turns to the Skeet Mixed Teams event, where she will compete with Aussie teammate Joshua Bell. 

“Mixed Teams has been an enjoyable event and I think Josh and I work really well together,” she said.

“We are still out there shooting individually but we can pull each other up when we need to and give that extra push when you need it. It is really nice to support each other in that way.”

On the 25m range today, in his second Olympic Games campaign, Melbourne local Sergei Evglevski​​​​​​​ competed in the Rapid-Fire Pistol event. 

The shortest qualification across all the shooting events, Sergei fired 12 series of five shots in quick succession across eight, six and four second intervals. 

He finished with a score of 573 out of a maximum 600. The minimum score required to qualify for the final was 585. The final will be contested on the last day of competition.

Coming up on Day 10, and the final day of competition for the Australian Team, Aislin and Joshua will compete in the Skeet Mixed Teams event starting at 5pm AEST.

MEN’S 25M RAPID FIRE PISTOL QUALIFICATION

AUSTRALIAN ATHLETE COMPETING:
SERGEI EVGLEVSKI

Competition commences at 9:00am Local (CEST) / 5:00PM AEST!

LEARN A BIT ABOUT THE MEN’S 25M RAPID FIRE PISTOL EVENT

• No. of Shots in Qualification 60 shots (2 stages of 30 shots each)
• Athletes advance to Final 6 athletes
• No. of Shots in Final up to 40 shots

Athletes equipped with 22 calibre sport pistols line up to demonstrate their agility and precision by firing at targets positioned 25 metres away. Each series consists of 5 shots fired into 5 targets aligned adjacent to each other. Qualification involves series of 4, 6, and 8 seconds, with the final six athletes facing the most challenging 4-second series.

A hit is defined as any score above 9.7. The targets, positioned 25 metres away, feature a 10cm diameter circle.

During the final, athletes shoot 8 series, with elimination of the lowest-scoring finalist starting after the 4th series. Any tie in scores prompts a shoot-off. The last two athletes standing engage in a battle for the top podium spot, with shoot-offs resolving tied scores.

SEE THE MEN’S START LIST AND FOLLOW RESULTS

WOMEN’S SKEET (SHOTGUN) QUALIFICATION DAY 2 + FINALS

AUSTRALIAN ATHLETE COMPETING:
AISLIN JONES

Competitors will shoot the remaining 50 targets across two rounds of 25. The Final will be held following today’s qualification, for the top 6 qualifiers, from 3:30pm Local (CEST) / 11:30PM, AEST.

SEE THE WOMEN’S START LIST AND FOLLOW RESULTS

The Bell Rings for Joshua on Olympic Debut

Olympic debutant Joshua Bell has finished his Paris campaign in 25th place in the Men’s Skeet event at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre.

Joshua went into the second day of qualifying on a score of 70 out of 75 targets. 

Shooting the opening round of the day with 24 out of 25, he followed on with a round of 22, finishing qualification with a total of 116 targets.

“It was really good to round out the second day of qualification,” Joshua said.

“My last round of the day was a little bit off where I wanted it to be, but overall, I have taken a lot away from a really good experience. 

“It is going to make me grow as a competitor and even as a person. It was awesome to watch several of the athletes do really well and I wish them the best of luck.”

With one event still to go on the final day of competition, Joshua is looking forward to the Mixed Teams event.

The top qualification score in the Men’s Skeet event was 124, with a score of 122 required for a chance at making the final. 

Vincent Hancock (USA) added yet another Olympic Gold medal to his collection, with silver going to Connor Lynne Prince (USA) and bronze to Meng Yuan Lee (TPE). 

Also in action on the shotgun range, Aislin Jones commenced her Paris campaign with day one of qualification in the Women’s skeet event. 

Cheered on by her family and friends in a packed grandstand, Aislin started the day hitting 23 out of 25 targets. She continued with rounds of 21 and 23, finishing the day on a score of 67.

“It was good to get day one out of the way for qualification,” she said.

“I am happy with my last round so hoping to take that energy into Day Two of qualification and shoot another couple of good rounds.”

Aislin noted the difference in the Paris experience to her Olympic Games debut in Rio.

“My first Games in Rio was very different to this one and it is pretty special to have family support here and people cheering you on. It has been really cool,” she said.

Day 9 of competition at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre will see Jones complete Women’s Skeet qualification. Sergei Evglevski will also take to the range, competing in qualification for the 25m Rapid Fire pistol event; the final event on the Paris 2024 pistol program.

WOMEN’S SKEET (SHOTGUN) QUALIFICATION DAY 1

AUSTRALIAN ATHLETE COMPETING:
AISLIN JONES

Competitors will shoot 75 targets across three rounds of 25. The remaining 50 targets (for a total out of 125) will be shot on the second day of qualification on Sunday. The Women’s Skeet Final will be held following qualification, for the top 6 qualifiers.

SEE THE WOMEN’S START LIST AND FOLLOW RESULTS

MEN’S SKEET (SHOTGUN) QUALIFICATION DAY 2 + FINALS

AUSTRALIAN ATHLETE COMPETING:
JOSHUA BELL

Competition commences at 9:00am Local (CEST) / 5:00PM AEST!

Competitors will shoot the remaining 50 targets across two rounds of 25. The Final will be held following today’s qualification, for the top 6 qualifiers, from 3:30pm Local (CEST) / 11:30PM, AEST.

SEE THE MEN’S START LIST AND FOLLOW RESULTS

Debutant Joshua Aims With Precision

With conditions finally cooler for day 7 of competition at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre, Olympic debutante Joshua Bell stepped out onto the shotgun range for his first day of Men’s Skeet qualification.

Coming into the Games with a recent World Cup Mixed Teams bronze medal under his belt, Bell was prepared to compete against 29 of the worlds best! In front of energised grandstand that included Bell’s parents, he opened the day breaking 24 of the 25 flying orange targets. Bell then went on to shoot two rounds of 23, closing the day with a total score of 70 out of 75.

Speaking to the day’s conditions, Bell said, “I found today really good. The conditions were overcast in the morning and the sun came out in the afternoon.”

Shooting behind Olympic qualification record holder Eric Delaunay, Bell said, “I couldn’t have asked for better atmosphere. Following the local Frenchman has been great, a little bit of a distraction, but good to reset and then go for it. To be amongst it is absolutely unreal and I couldn’t ask for a better debut.”

With 50 targets remaining going into day two of qualification, Bell said, “Going into tomorrow I will just look to rinse and repeat the same process and take it all in and do my best.”

Bell is currently sitting in 18th place, with the top 6 Men progressing through to the final, at the conclusion of tomorrows qualification. America currently occupies the top of the leaderboard, with triple Olympic gold medallist Vincent Hancock the only one to shoot a perfect score today.

Over on the pistol range today, Victoria’s Elena Galiabovitch concluded her Paris Olympic campaign, competing in the 25m Pistol Women’s event. Elena opened strong with a score of 99 out of 100 in her first precision series. She followed with two series of 93, finishing the precision stage in the middle of the field.

After a short break, Galiabovitch returned to complete the rapid-fire stage, opening with a 93 that was followed by a welcomed series of 99. She finished with a 94 series, and a total qualification score of 569, placing 35th overall.

Of her third Olympic campaign, Galiabovitch reflects, “That was a disappointing end to my Olympic campaign, but the journey is 100% worth it. I am now ready to cheer on everyone who is still competing.”

Hungary’s Veronika Major was the top 25m Pistol Women’s qualifier, equalling the Olympic Qualification Record with a score of 592. The score required to secure a place in the final of 8, was 585.

Heading into Day 8, Joshua Bell will continue Men’s Skeet Qualification, while the youngest member of the Australian Shooting Team, Aislin Jones, will commence day one of Women’s Skeet Qualification. Sergei Evglevski will complete his final training session ahead of his 25m Pistol Rapid Fire competition on Sunday.

WOMEN’S 25M PRECISION (PISTOL) QUALIFICATION

AUSTRALIAN ATHLETE COMPETING: ELENA GALIABOVITCH

Competition commences at 9.00am Local (CEST) / 5.00pm AEST!

• Competitors will shoot 60 shots in Qualification (2 stages of 30 shots each)
• Athletes advance to Final 8 athletes
• No. of Shots in Final up to 50 shots

The 25m Pistol Women’s event requires exceptional precision and speed as athletes aim to hit targets positioned 25m away within a brief 3-second timeframe.

Competition begins with a precision round followed by rapid fire in the qualification phase, totalling 60 shots. The top 8 athletes advance to the finals, where only rapid fire is contested. Athletes have 3 seconds per shot with a 7-second interval between triggers. Scoring operates on a hit or miss basis, with a score of 10.2 or higher deemed a hit. Targets, 25m away, have a diameter slightly less than 10cm.

The finals consist of 10 series of 5 shots each, with elimination beginning after the 4th series based on the lowest hit count. Ties are resolved through shoot-offs, where tied athletes fire additional series of 5 shots until the tie is broken.

SEE THE START LIST AND FOLLOW RESULTS

MEN’S SKEET (SHOTGUN) QUALIFICATION DAY 1

AUSTRALIAN ATHLETE COMPETING: JOSHUA BELL

Competition commences at 9.00am Local (CEST) / 5.00pm AEST!

Competitors will shoot 75 targets across three rounds of 25. The remaining 50 targets (for a total out of 125) will be shot on the second day of qualification on Saturday. The Men’s Skeet Final will be held following qualification, for the top 6 qualifiers.

Athletes wield 12 gauge shotguns, aiming at clay targets released from two houses situated at opposite ends of the shooting field. During qualification, athletes shoot from eight stations, targeting a total of 125 clays. They shoot down single and/or double targets before moving to the next station. Precision, accuracy, and adaptability are essential as athletes navigate through the rounds. The top 6 performers advance to the final rounds, where they confront 60 additional targets shooting from 3 stations. Depending on the station, the athletes shoot down 1 or 2 doubles, meaning they always call for 2 targets at the same time. The six finalists engage in an elimination process after shooting 20 targets, and this process continues every 10 targets until only two competitors remain to compete for the gold medal

SEE THE START LIST AND FOLLOW RESULTS

Rifle Competition Completed

Jack Rossiter and Dane Sampson competed in their final event of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the 50m Men’s 3 Position Qualifications on Wednesday 31 August 2024.

Congratulations to Jack and Dane on their performances.

Three-time Olympian Jack Rossiter placed 27th with a score of 585-27x. Four-time Olympian Dane finished in 34th with 581-27x. The cut off score for the finals was 590-35x. That completes the Olympic program for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games for Rossiter and Sampson.

VIEW FULL RESULTS

PARIS OLYMPICS WOMEN’S TRAP RESULTS

Penny maintained her composure throughout the six-woman final, reaching as high as second in the early going before finishing in an impressive third place with a score of 32.

A run of 14 consecutive hits across the opening four rounds, including a perfect second and third round, set up the medal win.

It was her second consecutive Olympic final, and she improved on her sixth- place finish in Tokyo three years ago.

Penny was thrilled with her performance and to walk away with an Olympic medal.

“I’m super proud of my bronze medal,” she said.

“I had to do it the hard way to shoot off to get into the final, and then obviously going in sixth, the weather was really hot and the conditions were fading.

“Really pleased to come away with the bronze, and thanks heaps to everyone that supported me along the way.” 

The bronze medal is the first shooting medal for Australia since Catherine Skinner took gold in the same event in Rio 2016, and the third medal in Women’s Trap alongside Catherine’s Rio gold and Suzanne Balogh’s gold in Athens 2004.

It was a history-making final at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre, with Adriana Ruano Oliva winning Guatemala’s first-ever Olympic gold medal with an Olympic record score of 45. Italy’s Silvana Maria Stanco was third with 40 points.

Earlier in the day, Penny finished equal sixth in qualifying with a score of 121/125.

She then edged out China’s Zhang Xinquiu and Portugal’s Maria Ines Coelho de Barros in a three-person shoot-off to qualify for the final.

Teammate Catherine was unable to join her in the final, shooting 116/125 shots to finish in 17th place.

Ben Waterworth – Olympics.com.au

MEN’S 50M 3 POSITIONS QUALIFICATION DAY

AUSTRALIAN ATHLETES COMPETING:
DANE SAMPSON AND JACK ROSSITER

Competition commences at 9:00am Local (CEST) / 5:00PM AEST!

LEARN A BIT ABOUT THE 50M 3 POSITION EVENT

• No. of Shots in Qualification 60 shots (20 in each position) in a time limit of 90 min
• Athletes advance to Final 8 athletes
• No. of Shots in Final up to 45 shots

The 50-metre 3 Positions Men’s discipline, commonly referred to as ‘3P’, epitomises a comprehensive assessment of skill, endurance, and mental fortitude within the realm of shooting sports.

Athletes employ .22 long rifle calibre rifles, a defining feature of this competition, aiming at targets positioned 50 meters away. This gruelling event requires shooters to master three distinct positions: kneeling, prone, and standing, each necessitating diverse skills of stability and focus.

Following 120 shots in the qualification round, the top eight athletes progress to the finals, embarking on a rigorous series of rounds. Beginning with three sets of 5 shots in kneeling and prone positions, they then transition to the most demanding phase – the standing position.

The final showdown intensifies with two additional sets of 5 shots in the standing position, culminating in a decisive sequence of 5 single shots. These final shots determine the medal winners, serving as a testament to the athletes’ resilience, precision, and adaptability in this multifaceted event.

SEE THE START LIST AND FOLLOW RESULTS

WOMEN’S TRAP (SHOTGUN) QUALIFICATION DAY 2 + FINALS

AUSTRALIAN ATHLETES COMPETING:
CATHERINE SKINNER AND PENNY SMITH

Competition commences at 9:00am Local (CEST) / 5:00PM AEST!

Competitors will shoot the remaining 50 targets across two rounds of 25. The Final will be held following today’s qualification, for the top 6 qualifiers, from 3:30pm Local (CEST) / 11:30PM, AEST. Channel 9 has scheduled broadcast for the Women’s Trap final.

SEE THE WOMEN’S START LIST AND FOLLOW RESULTS

Willett Fires Australia to Best Finish in Men’s Trap Shooting in Over a Decade

James Willett has delivered Australia its highest finish in Men’s Trap Shooting at the Olympics since 2012, with a sixth place finish in the final at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre.

The 28-year-old scored 19 out of 25 in stage one of the six-man final, with his score not high enough to progress to stage two.

His sixth place is the highest finish by an Australian in the event since Michael Diamond finished fourth in London.

James said that he was happy with his performance, despite challenges with the weather, as he shifts his focus to the next steps in his career.

“It’s been a great couple of years,” he said. “I was happy with how I adapted; I think I’ve done everyone proud and had great support back home too.

“I’m really looking forward to what’s ahead now.”

The final started off strongly for the Mulwala shooter, hitting his first three shots of the final.

James then missed his next three shots, before hitting his next nine to sit in sixth with a score of 12/15 after the first three rounds.

He was unable to recover the ground needed to remain in the final, missing three of his final 10 shots to end with a score of 19/25.

Britain’s Nathan Yales won the gold, ahead of Qi Ying of China and Jean Pierre Brol Cardenas from Guatemala.

Earlier in the day, James qualified for the final in third place with a score of 123/125.

Teammate Mitchell Iles was unable to join him, shooting 122/125 in qualifying before being eliminated in a five person shoot off after missing his fourth target.

Meanwhile qualification in the Women’s Trap Event also began on Tuesday, with Catherine Skinner and Penny Smith flying the Aussie flag.

After 75 shots, Penny sits in third place with a score of 73/75, while Rio gold medallist Catherine finished the day in 17th with a score of 69/75.

Penny said she was happy with her shooting in the high temperatures of Chateauroux.

“I’m really happy with today’s effort in really hot conditions and I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” she said.

The final 50 shots of the Women’s Trap qualification begins at 5pm AEST on Wednesday, with the top six shooters making it through to the final at 11.30pm AEST.

Ben Waterworth – Olympics.com.au

WOMEN’S TRAP (SHOTGUN) QUALIFICATION DAY 1

AUSTRALIAN ATHLETES COMPETING:
CATHERINE SKINNER​​​​​​​ AND PENNY SMITH

Competition commences at 9:00am Local (CEST) / 5:00PM AEST!

Competitors will shoot 75 targets across three rounds of 25. The remaining 50 targets (for a total out of 125) will be shot on the second day of qualification on Wednesday. The Women’s Trap Final will be held following qualification, for the top 6 qualifiers.

SEE THE WOMEN’S START LIST AND FOLLOW RESULTS

MEN’S TRAP (SHOTGUN) QUALIFICATION DAY 2 + FINAL

AUSTRALIAN ATHLETES COMPETING:
MITCHELL ILES AND JAMES WILLETT

Competition commences at 9:30am Local (CEST) / 5:30PM AEST!

Competitors will shoot the remaining 50 targets across two rounds of 25. The Final will be held following today’s qualification, for the top 6 qualifiers, from 3:30pm Local (CEST) / 11:30PM, AEST. Channel 9 has scheduled broadcast for the Men’s Trap final.

SEE THE MEN’S START LIST AND FOLLOW RESULTS

The searing heat was no distraction for James Willett and Mitchell Iles who competed in the first day of the Men’s Trap event at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre.

Aussie Trap Hot Shots Start Strong

Against the World’s best, Willett opened competition with the first perfect round of 25 broken targets out of 25. He continued with great form only missing his 31^st target to score a total of 74 out of 75 targets.

Sharing the top of the leaderboard with Sweden’s Rickard Levin-Andersson, Willett reflects, “I am happy with today’s performance. I realise there is still a long way to go and another 50 targets to shoot tomorrow. My goal is to repeat what I did today and hopefully I am well positioned to move into the final.”

In sweltering conditions with temperatures climbing to the mid 30’s, Willett said, “It was pretty warm out there today but actually perfect shooting conditions.”

Iles finished day one with a score of 72 out of 75, closing out the day with a perfect 25 out of 25. In front of the huge crowd of spectators, Iles said, “It was extremely hot out on the range today. I was happy with how I shot and I have my sights set on repeating this tomorrow.”

The top 6 Men’s Trap competitors progress through to the final.