Shooters on target

By Kath Gannaway
AUSTRALIA’S top shooters notched up world-class scores over the weekend at the Commonwealth Games second elimination trials at the Melbourne Club in Lilydale.
In conditions that varied from excellent on the first two days to tough on Sunday, shooters from all over Australia stepped up to the mark hoping to move a step closer to Commonwealth Games team selection.
Olympic great Russell Mark, who took gold in Atlanta and silver in Sydney, won the double trap event on the Friday.
The women’s trap on Saturday was won by up-and-coming Berwick junior Laetisha Scanlan with what the club’s junior vice-president, Coldstream shooter Craig Henwood, said was another world-class 92 out of 100.
Adam Vella won the men’s trap. The Athens bronze medallist won with another brilliant score of 144 out of 150 ahead of another Olympic gold medallist, Michael Diamond.
In the skeet competition, Commonwealth Games silver medallist Clive Barton won with 146 out of 150 and Laura Coles won the women’s competition ahead of Commonwealth Games gold medallist Lauren Mark.
Henwood, who represented Australia at the Beijing Olympics, was off the mark on the weekend, but will shoot in the third elimination trials next month.
“I wouldn’t say the doors are completely shut,” he said of his chances of making the team.
“ … but I’d have to shoot a very big personal best score in Sydney.”
Henwood said presenting a top competition was great for the club, with the high scores reflecting the excellent facilities, and gave the juniors the chance to see their champions in action.
“We had 90 competitors there and it gave a lot of our juniors a chance to shoot alongside all these Olympic shooters, which is great experience,” he said.
“To be able to just sit back and watch how these guys go about their shooting is enormously valuable.”