Australia celebrated a stunning surge of success overnight at the AMIR ISSF Shotgun Grand Prix, delivering a powerful statement on the international stage.
Competing against some of the world’s leading shotgun athletes at the word-class Lusail Shooting Complex in Doha, Qatar, the Australian Shotgun Trap Team produced a series of composed and confident performances, converting strong qualification rounds into multiple finals appearances and an impressive medal return.
In the Junior Men’s Trap competition, Victorian athletes Benjamin De Pedro and Lucas Furlan delivered outstanding performances to reach the final.
Both athletes posted qualification scores of 111 out of 125, ranking sixth and eighth respectively to secure their finals berths in a tightly contested field.
In the high-scoring final, and his international final debut, De Pedro rose to the occasion with an exceptional display of composure, hitting 27 of 30 targets to claim the gold medal. He finished just one target ahead of Assylkhan Aisalbayev (KAZ), who secured silver.
Of his first international medal win in the Men’s Trap event, De Pedro excitedly reflected, “Winning a medal in my first international final is an amazing feeling. I’m very proud of my result and have learnt a lot throughout this experience.”
Summarising his experience in Doha, and the opportunity to travel with senior Australian athletes, De Pedro said, “Doha has been a great learning experience. Being able to watch how the senior team conducts themselves at a world-class competition has been incredibly valuable. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to learn from the senior athletes and coaches, as I believe this has really enhanced my ability and understanding of the sport.”
De Pedro’s proud mum Brooke reflected on her son’s journey in the sport; “Since the day he shot his first target, his passion and commitment for the sport has continually grown, but what really stands out is his genuine love for the sport and competition. We are so proud of his achievement in Doha and is truly reflective of his commitment to succeeding in the sport he loves.”
Furlan’s performance in the Junior Men’s Trap final was equally impressive. Dropping only three targets in the final, he finished with 22 out of 25 to claim the bronze medal, completing a remarkable double podium finish for Australia in the Junior Men’s Trap event.
“Competing at the 2026 Amir Grand Prix was an invaluable experience and an important step forward in my shooting journey. Gaining international competition exposure and being immersed in a senior high-performance environment gave me an understanding of what it takes to prepare for, and perform, at major events”, Furlan said.
In the Women’s Trap event, Penny Smith and Laetisha Scanlan showcased their experience against a competitive field. Both shot a qualification score of 115 out of 125, ranking 7th and 8th, progressing through to the final. Kiara Dean narrowly missed out on the final finishing with a score of 113 in 12th place.
Into the final Scanlan delivered a composed performance, hitting 25 of 30 targets to finish level with Italy’s Alessia Iezzi. With the scores tied, a sudden-death shoot-off was required to determine the gold and silver medals. Iezzi edged ahead, shooting five targets to Scanlan’s four. Scanlan’s silver medal capped a strong campaign and added to Australia’s impressive medal tally in Doha.
Reflecting on her start to the 2026 international season, Scanlan said, “For me, Qatar was always about setting a strong foundation for the season. My main goal was to use this competition as an opportunity to really focus on my fundamentals in a high-pressure, international setting.”
With the LA 2028 Olympic qualification period to commence later this year, Scanlan said, With the World Championships being held here [Lusail Shooting Complex] later this year and Olympic quota places for LA 2028 on the line, it was important to treat this event as part of the bigger picture. Being able to compete on the same range that will host the World Championships in November and the first opportunity to secure LA 2028 Olympic quotas is an invaluable experience.”
Scanlan expressed her joy at medal wins from the two Junior Team members, “I’m incredibly happy for Ben and Lucas to come away with medals at this event. They’re both very talented athletes with huge futures ahead of them, and it was fantastic to seem them perform so well on the international stage under finals pressure.”
2025 Amir Grand Prix gold medallist Smith shot 16 out of 20 in this year’s Women’s Trap final to finish in fourth place.
Competition was fierce in the Men’s Trap event, with the Australian team narrowly missing a place in the final despite some strong qualification performances.
Nathan Argiro led the charge for Australia, shooting 120 out of 125 — just one target shy of securing a finals berth.
Reigning 2025 gold medallist James Willett posted 119, while Gabe Sensi recorded 116. Milad Nasr finished on 115, with Marco Corbo and Thomas Grice each shooting 114 out of 125.
Shooting Australia’s Shotgun Program Manager, Adam Hosking, reflected on the performances at the Amir Grand Prix and the objectives of Australia’s representation at this competition.
“It is fantastic to have Laetisha Scanlan, Benjamin De Pedro and Lucas Furlan win medals at this competition. With the World Championships to be held on this same range in November this year, the AMIR Grand Prix provided an early opportunity in preparation to again compete at this venue.” Being able to include Juniors as part of the Australian Team in Doha, Hosking said, “The Amir Grand Prix also included a Junior competition which allowed us to integrate the Senior and Junior athletes together at the one competition. I am sure each athlete has taken some key learnings from this competition which will be important as we progress through a very busy and long season.”
As the team looks ahead to upcoming ISSF competitions, the results in Doha mark an exciting start to the international season, highlighting Australia’s depth, preparation and growing presence in elite shotgun competition.
FULL RESULTS FROM AMIR GRAND PRIX
Any enquiries can be directed to Jane Vella, Shooting Australia’s Sport Development, Event and Communication Manager, via jane@shootingaustralia.org or 0407 859 197
