The rifle contingent of the Australian Shooting Team have wrapped up their final preparations for the London Olympics with the third round of the Australia Cup matches in Brisbane.
Warren Potent is showing the form he will need to be competitive in London. The Beijing bronze medallist recorded another qualifying score to win the men’s 50m prone rifle at an Australia Cup match in Brisbane.
The 50-year-old from New South Wales, who will compete at his fourth Olympic Games in London, recorded a score of 597 from 600 in qualifying for the final in first place. Potent then compiled an impressive 104.1 across his ten shots in the final to win by almost six shots from his nearest competitor.
Potent’s score in the finals were all in the bullseye (or ‘ten ring’) and provided the Beijing medallist with the perfect lead in to London. The ‘ten ring’ is 10.4 mm in diameter which is further divided into 10 inner rings during the finals.
Fellow rifle shooter Robyn Van Nus also showed good form across the weekend in Brisbane and will compete in her second Olympic Games.
29-year-old West Australian Van Nus won both 10m air rifle events at the Australia Cup match, showing her consistency with scores of 396 from 400 on both Saturday and Sunday.
Van Nus won the Saturday event by over three points from London team mate Alethea Sedgman, from Victoria, and made a definitive statement of her intent for London by posting an 11-point victory on Sunday.
To highlight the difficulty of this discipline, the 10 ring in the 10 m Air Rifle event is 0.5 mm in diameter. Yes that is right, half a millimetre. In the finals, this 0.5 mm ring is further divided into 10 inner rings. In both the 10m and 50m events the movement induced in the rifle by your pulse is enough to put you out of the finals.
In a further boost to her confidence Van Nus also won the women’s Three Position 50m rifle match. Her competition score of 578 from 600 across the standing, kneeling and prone positions, was topped off by nailing a 94.5 in the final to record a deserved victory.
The Australia Cup served as the final lead-up competition for Australia’s shooters ahead of London.
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
Very difficult to answer, I am a follower of the rifle disciplines more than anything. Warren Potent will be in the finals for the 50 m Prone event. Anyone can win from there. I think he will make the dias. Robyn van Nus will put in a good showing but the Air Rifle and 3P match are difficult. I don't think she will medal. Alethea Sedgman will struggle in the Air Rifle field. William Godward will also struggle against the quality of competition in the Air Rifle matches. Dane Sampson will compete (I think) in the 50 m Prone match - Might be a bit of a dark horse for the finals. In the shotgun disciplines, never write off Michael Diamond, according to his World Cup results he has been a bit scratchy. Big occasion shooter, so the heart says yes - head says no. (Trap - Mnes) Russel Mark needs a bit of luck to go his way but should make the finals. (Double Trap - Mens) Lauryn Mark is a finals chance and could get a new necklace with a nice ribbon. (Skeet - Womens) I can't speak to the pistol results as I don't follow them. It will be an interesting time for the shooting team, like most "minor sports" competitors most of them have real jobs and are up against quite a few international competitor who train and compete full-time. Competing against such athletes naturally lifts your performance so anything is possible. The difference between Gold and "former Olympian" is a very small margin, sometimes measured 10ths of millimetres.
GrecoRoman
Roar Guru
Very interesting round-up. Thanks Rabbitz! Good to see some of the more 'obscure' sports getting a wrap on the roar. Can I press you for a prediction of Australia's final medal tally in the shooting disciplines?