SHOOTING: Four of the country’s best young shooters have secured their spot on the Australian team for the second Summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Nanjing, China.
This August, Daniel Clopatofsky, Monika Woodhouse, Christopher Summerell and Elise Downing will be stepping on to the world stage to compete in either the 10m Air Rifle or 10m Air Pistol.
Bankstown local, Daniel Clopatofsky, who will be 17 at the Games, will become the third generation of his family to compete at an Olympic Games.
Both his grandfather and father represented Colombia in Shooting at the 1964 and 1984 Summer Games respectively.
Clopatofsky will be keen to showcase his shooting pedigree at the YOG and says his support network will make all the difference.
“The reaction from my family and friends has been great. Everyone is really excited for me and is really supportive knowing the work I have put in the last few years to get to where I am now,” Clopatofsky said.
It goes without saying – all the athletes are incredibly thrilled to have been selected in the team and cannot wait to head to China.
“I've always aspired to go to the Olympics and be truly competitive but I never thought that an opportunity like this would arise at just 17 years of age,” Clopatofsky said.
Downing, 14, the youngest of the shooters, is currently competing at the ISSF Junior Cup in Suhl, Germany. The trip will be her first overseas experience and an invaluable part of her lead up to Nanjing later in the year.
“I never thought that this year I would have two big overseas trips, Germany and now the Youth Olympics. It’s still unbelievable and I have to keep pinching myself. I’m actually living the dream,” Downing said.
Early on, Downing had been interested in horse riding, running and swimming but was eventually introduced to shooting and has not looked back since.
“I guess it’s a good thing I chose shooting because I wouldn’t have this honour of going to the YOG if I didn’t,” she said.
With such an impressive squad, all the team have gold in their sights including 17-year-old Chris Summerell, from Toukley in NSW.
Summerell will be joining Downing in Germany and is hoping to get some good results as he prepares for the YOG.
But despite being confident in his form, he is not one to rest on his laurels.
“There’s always room for improvement and I enjoy the learning curve,” Summerell said.
“To have come this far is a complete surprise to my family and myself, we’re all amazed and thrilled,” the 17-year-old said.
Also among Australia’s medal hopes is 17-year-old Monika Woodhouse, who has added a few feathers to her cap in the past year.
Woodhouse secured second place in her age group at the Youth Nationals before clinching first place at the Junior Oceania Competition at the end of last year.
Woodhouse cannot wait for competition to start and is keen to experience everything the YOG has to offer
“I have always participated in team sports and shooting is a solitary sport, so I really didn’t know how I would go, everyone has been so excited and impressed,” she said.
Something that echoes throughout the youth squad is that the YOG experience is going to be far more than just competition.
“One of the things I'm looking forward to is seeing all the country colours and nations together competing and socialising with one another. This is definitely going to be an experience I will never forget,” Downing said.
“I'm also really looking forward to having lots of fun and meeting new people from all over the world, it should be great,” Clopatofsky added.
The second Summer Youth Olympic Games commence in Nanjing, China on Saturday 16 August and run for 12 days. Shooting will take place on days 1-6 at the Shooting Hall.
The shooting team for the 2014 Australian Youth Olympic Team:
Elise Downing (14), QLD - 10m Air Pistol
Christopher Summerell (17), NSW - 10m Air Pistol
Monika Woodhouse (17), QLD - 10m Air Rifle
Daniel Clopatofsky (17), NSW - 10m Air Rifle
Sam Rawlings
Olympics.com.au
@AUSOlympicTeam
