By JARROD POTTER
BERWICK hot shot Laetisha Scanlan picked up the greatest win of her shooting career – winning the women’s trap at the ISSF World Cup Shotgun tournament in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
In an all-Australian gold medal match in the women’s trap, the first time ever in a World Cup event, the 23-year-old shooter claimed her first World Cup win, after outshooting fellow Victorian Catherine Skinner to claim the top prize.
Scanlan said her victory ranked as one of the best possible in world shooting – with only the Olympics standing above it as a superior competition.
“To win either a World Cup or a World Champs, it’s probably just a tier under the Olympics,” Scanlan said.
“Really happy about it – I went in pretty confident – had the win from Qatar and the nationals, but competing against the world’s best – it’s always a little daunting.
“Trained really well before the comp and in the comp just stuck to my routine and focused.”
Making the gold medal match was also Scanlan’s first World Cup final, a brilliant effort in isolation, but to power through to take the gold was a feat she never expected – shooting 14/15 targets in the final to take the victory.
“Only missed two targets in the qualifying round – so I went into the final on scratch,” Scanlan said.
“The first 15 – in the final I shot clean, and it automatically put me into the gold medal match.
It was a little nerve racking – team mate missed the first target and I went to miss mine, got to really focus on and get back into my routine.”
That focus made her miss that initial moment of elation from winning a major championship, but once it sunk in that she was a World Cup winner, no one could wipe the smile from her face.
“I wasn’t as happy I thought I would be, I was in that state of concentration from the match – on the video playback I wasn’t even smiling,” Scanlan said.
“But it was a fantastic feeling and it was great, and I’m really happy to represent Australia and come back with a World Cup win with how good everyone else is in the world.”
Scanlan said the Australian quinella highlighted the positive steps the Australian shooting community had taken, especially in the junior ranks.
“Australia has really put into their junior development program and it’s really starting to pay off,” Scanlan said.
“Of the three medallists – I’m 23, my team mate is 23 and the girl who came third and won the Olympics was 21 – so there’s a great new generation of shooters.
“It’s really good for Australia to produce a one-two and putting that time and effort in and it is really starting to show.”
In the process, she also registered an all-important points qualifying score (PQS) on her path back to the Commonwealth Games to defend her women’s trap pairs gold medal.
“The qualification for the Commonwealth Games started in April, so there’s a long way yet to go – still another year until qualifications finish – but a good start is always helpful,” Scanlan said.
The World Cup victory continues Scanlan’s already successful start to 2013, with wins at the Australian national title in January, the Qatar Open and Australia Cup 1.
