Australia’s Olympic shooting hopefuls produced a good showing at the 2011 Oceania Championships at the Sydney International Shooting Centre at the end of November.

With a potential 15 Olympic quotas up for grabs for Australia at the event, the team won 13, taking its overall tally to 17 at the end of the qualifying period.
The women’s trap was the most closely fought event across the week, with the final coming down to the last shot between Laetisha Scanlan and New Zealand’s Natalie Rooney.

Scanlan was able to hold her nerve, equally impressive due to the two target deficit she faced heading into the 25 shot final, ensuring Australia would send a competitor in the women’s trap to London.

Earlier in the week Will Godward had given the Australian team the perfect start on the first day of the event in the men’s 10m air rifle, winning the Oceania title and pushing his own claim for Olympic selection in 2012.

Five-time Olympian Russell Mark also won a quota in the men’s double trap in Monday action, while the further two quotas on the opening day went to Chloe Esposito in the women’s 25m sport pistol and New Zealand’s Jenna McKenzie in the women’s 10m air rifle.

Robyn Van Nus bounced back on Tuesday to win the women’s 3 position rifle, while Chris Gulvin’s second place behind Godward in the men’s equivalent, secured another position for Australia in the rifle competition in 2012.

On the shotgun range, Australia secured two quota places in the men’s skeet, with Clive Barton sweeping to victory ahead of compatriot Paul Adams, who won a shoot-off for second place over Keith Ferguson.

2008 Beijing bronze medallist Warren Potent also shone during the event, picking up the first of two quotas for Australia in the men’s rifle prone, winning the Oceania title ahead of Dane Sampson.

Other quotas were picked up by Bruce Quick in the men’s rapid fire pistol and Daniel Repacholi in the men’s 10m air pistol.

The men’s trap featured as the final event on Thursday afternoon and young gun Matt Stokes got the job done for Australia as he finished second behind Fijian Glenn Kable to secure Australia’s 17^th and final quota for London next year.

The athletes in contention for a place on the Australian team next year in London, will face a number of domestic and international events over the coming five months, before the team is nominated to the Australian Olympic Committee in May next year.

For full results from across the week please click here