Adams fires back with gold medal win

South Australia’s Emma Adams produced a confidence boosting victory when winning the second women’s 3 Position Tokyo Olympic Games nomination trial at the Wingfield Rifle Range in Adelaide today.

In an all-South Australian podium, Adams, a dual Commonwealth Games representative, claimed victory when scoring 434.9 points ahead of Tori Rossiter (432.0) and Katarina Kowplos (420.1).

Kowplos has a healthy lead in the race for Australia’s sole women’s 3 Positions quota position after another outstanding qualifying round yesterday. But Adams is looking to reverse the lead with two qualifying events remaining.

“I’m optimistic. If it happens, it happens but if not, good luck to Katarina,” said Adams.

Adams took a decisive 5.6 point lead in the first-up 15-shot kneeling rotation and never relinquished the lead.

“Kneeling is where I can get my most points,” said Adams. “I watched a whole season of Netflix on my knee in my living room to get comfortable in the position.”

NSW’s Maria Rebling, who was a strong contender for Olympic selection in the event, was forced to withdraw from today’s event after being diagnosed with a blood clot and unable to fly.

With the third of the four women’s 3 Positions qualifying events to be held tomorrow, Rebling’s hopes of winning Tokyo selection have been unfortunately dashed.

Earlier, Queensland’s Dane Sampson produced a domestic personal best qualifying score on the way to winning the men’s 3 Position final.

Sampson took a stranglehold on Australia’s single men’s 3 Position quota position for Tokyo when scoring 454.7 points to defeat South Australians Alex Hoberg (452.8) and Jack Rossiter (438.2)

Sampson (2361 points) has opened up a 35 point lead on the nomination scoreboard over Hoberg (2326) and Rossiter (2318).

Sampson’s personal best qualifying score of 1188 was recorded in the Czech Republic last year and he was satisfied with another improved performance.

“Qualifying was good. It was solid and I’m happy with that. My goal was to have a good result and do better that I did in the first nomination which I did,” he said.

“I’m in a very good position, but nothing is done until its done, so I am staying focused,” he added.

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