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Superb Scanlan soars to victory

 

Superb Scanlan soars to victory

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AOC
Superb Scanlan soars to victory

Laetisha Scanlan reemphasised her position as one of Australia’s top shooters with a superb victory in the women’s trap in Australia Cup 4 in Darwin.

Laetisha Scanlan reemphasised her position as one of Australia’s top shooters with a superb victory in the women’s trap in Australia Cup 4 in Darwin.

In the fourth round of the shotgun Australia Cup series, Scanlan recorded a personal best of 73 targets from 75 in the qualifying rounds to establish a seven target lead heading into the final.

Scanlan’s score of 73 was a new Australian record in the event and only one target off equalling the world record.

Despite only shooting 16 in the final, Scanlan still finished five targets clear on a final score of 89, with Kelly Coogan on 84, and Michelle Beecham third on 83. Suzy Balogh claimed fourth place, three targets further back.

The 20-year-old’s qualifying score of 73 also earned her a Performance Qualifying Score (PQS). The national selectors use PQS’s as a selection method for the national team, and this is Scanlan’s third PQS – 69 targets or better – in the last 12 months.

Scanlan says she was seeing the targets well all weekend.

“I have been training really hard across the last five weeks, both at the range and in the gym, and heading into the event I was feeling quietly confident,” Scanlan said. “I was really focused for the first round and shot 25 and then backed up to shoot 25 again, which is the first time I have shot 50 straight in competition.

“The conditions were really muggy and hot which is good preparation for Delhi. To shoot the Australian record in those conditions is great.”

Craig Trembath showed he had bounced back from non-selection for the Commonwealth Games with a thrilling shoot-off victory against Nick Kirley in the men’s double trap.

Kirley pipped Trembath for the spot alongside Russell Mark in the Delhi bound team, but Trembath prevailed on this occasion. Trembath finished with 138 targets out of 150, leading Kirley by three shots into the final, but Kirley’s score of 46 in the final left him in a tie with Trembath, who could only manage 43 from his final 50 shots.

In the shoot-off, Trembath prevailed, after Kirley missed his 17th target.

In other results across the weekend, Nino Pedulla caused an upset in the men’s trap, finishing with a total of 138 after the final, one clear of junior Michael McNabb , with Todd Malone in third. Commonwealth Games team member Adam Vella was in fourth place on 135 targets.

Lauryn Mark won the women’s skeet by five targets, shooting a final score of 90, while Anthony Sottosanti prevailed in the men’s skeet by an equally impressive six shots, recording a score of 143.

Shooting Australia

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