The Australian Shooting Team is today celebrating some overnight success after securing two medals at the ISSF World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan. Newly ranked world number 1 James Willett secured the gold medal in the Men’s Trap event, while Penny Smith, current world number 11, secured the silver medal in the Women’s Trap event.
Willett shot 121 out of 125 targets during the two days of qualification, and went into the final as the 5th highest qualifier out of the six male finalists. Willett was too strong in the final, missing only a couple of early targets and then an additional two later in the final, as he increased his lead over Slovakian, Filip Marinov. Willett closed out the final with a score of 46 out of 50. Marinov won the silver with a score of 42. The bronze medal went to Jean Pierre Brol Cardenas (GUA).
This is Willett’s 16th World Cup medal and 7th gold medal.
After winning a bronze medal at the ISSF Final Olympic Qualification Championships in Doha less than two weeks prior, Smith finished as top qualifier in the Women’s Trap event in Baku, with a score of 116 out of 125 targets.
Smith had a strong start to the final, not missing until the unlucky 13th target. With ten targets to go in the final, Smith was tied with Lebanon’s Ray Bassil, and with just five targets to go, Bassil managed to take the lead on Smith and retain this until the end. Bassil claimed the gold medal, and Smith the silver. Italy’s Erica Sessa won the bronze.
This is Smith’s 11th World Cup medal.
The Australian Shooting Team will continue their campaign in Baku, as part of the Paris 2024 Olympic Nomination process, with Shotgun, Pistol and Rifle events still to be competed in.
