Australians Tom Grice and Penny Smith are the inaugural ISSF World Champions in the Trap Mixed Team event, coming from behind to defeat Spain’s Antonio Bailon and Beatriz Martinez to win gold at the Foxlodge Shooting Range in Moscow (RUS) overnight.
Australia had two teams competing for podium placing and after Catherine Skinner and Jack Wallace were knocked out by bronze medallists Ashley Carroll and Derek Haldeman (USA) all eyes were on Grice and Smith.
Bailon and Martinez raced out to a seemingly-insurmountable early lead, at one point enjoying a comfortable 6-hit margin, before the Australians reeled in the Spanish pair and overtook them to win by a single hit 33-32.
Grice and Smith were understandably jubilant. “We went in to the final really focussed, and after what felt like a roller coaster ride we’ve come out as the first ever Trap Mixed Team World Champions. We are thrilled!”
“This team just keeps giving,” said Shooting Australia General Manager High Performance Adam Sachs. “Penny and Tom showed true grit and tonight Australia has two new World Champions. The energy in this team has been building all week and and we’re not done yet. We want to propel our Double Trap Men and Skeet Men and Women to success in the coming days. I hope that everyone at home is as proud as we are of what Shooting Australia has achieved on this world stage.”
“We’re pleased that both our mixed teams made it into the Trap Mixed Team final, and Penny and Tom in particular put in a great performance. They showed great courage and determination,” said Shooting Australia National High Performance Shotgun Coach Adam Vella. “We want to maintain this momentum with Double Trap and Skeet still to come.”
When quizzed by media on their impressions of Russia and the championship Grice summed up the team’s rollercoaster win, laughing as he replied “I love Russia now!”
640 athletes from 76 nations are competing in the 2017 ISSF Shotgun World Championship, held at the Fox Lodge shooting club in Moscow (RUS) from the 30th of August through the 10th of September.