Penny Smith equalled the Australian ISSF (Olympic) Trap record with a perfect qualifying score of 125 targets out of 125 at the Yarra Valley Grand Prix held at Melbourne Gun Club 11-12 February, 2023.
2007 saw the first time a perfect score in Trap was shot in Australia. Nidal Asmar (pictured to the right), the initial Australian ISSF Trap record holder coincidentally shot his perfect score at the Melbourne Gun Club and also in February. Of Penny’s feat Nidal reflected ‘I shot 125 for the first time in Australia back in 2007 and it has taken until now for someone else to do this. I am so happy for Penny and even happier that I was able to be here today to witness her unstoppable performance.’
Penny broke the Australian Trap Women’s record in January 2022 at the Nationals in Echuca with a score of 124 out of 125 and prior to this, at the Brisbane Nationals in January 2019 where she shot a score of 123.
Of her perfect score Penny said ‘It’s really good to shoot a 125/125 and I guess it’s something that you always dream to do and good that it’s a reality now’. Penny then went on to win the Womens Trap event at the Yarra Valley Grand Prix reflecting that ‘I’ve had a really successful weekend which is a confidence booster for me.’
Penny now prepares for her first international competition of the year where she will compete in Womens Trap at the Doha, Qatar World Cup in March. Penny said of her weekends performance ‘it was a good confidence boost leading into the World Cup in a few weeks time.’
Penny now has her eyes set on representing Australia at the ISSF Shotgun World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan commencing in August, 2023, followed by representing Australia at a second Olympic Games in Paris 2024.
The Yarra Valley Grand Prix was the third event out of four World Championships ISSF Shotgun National Team selection events endorsed by Shooting Australia. The final selection event will be held in Brisbane in June and the National team announced shortly thereafter.
