BRISBANE – Australia’s Laetisha SCANLAN celebrated her 28th birthday in the best possible way, winning a title in the women’s trap at the Belmont Shooting Centre on Friday 13 April.
The qualification eliminated some high-profile contenders with Rio 2016 Olympic Games gold medallist Catherine SKINNER (AUS) and Rio 2016 silver medallist Natalie ROONEY (NZL) missing the final.
Defending Glasgow 2014 champion, SCANLAN also went close to elimination, just making it through to the final as the last and sixth qualifier after a tense shoot-off with ROONEY.
SCANLAN, who had also made the final in Glasgow after a shoot-off, started the final session strongly, taking a lead in the first 10 targets then hitting all from 19 to 27 to increase the margin before clinching the gold medal with a Commonwealth Games record of 38.
Kirsty BARR (NIR) took silver with 37, her first Commonwealth Games medal at her third Games.
Top qualifier for the final, Sarah WIXEY (WAL), claimed bronze with 28. The Welsh shooter was second after the 30th target, but then four consecutive misses cost her a chance for the silver medal.
Commonwealth Games News Services
