Overnight, Australia's Laetisha Scanlan was triumphant at the Shotgun World Cup in Lonato, Italy, winning the gold medal in the Women's Trap event in some sweltering European summer heat.
Competition in Lonato was tough against some of the world's most experienced Women's Trap competitors. Alongside a field of 86 women and well versed in this high level of international competition, Scanlan a dual Olympian and current world number six, finished qualifying in third place after shooting 118 out of 125 targets. This secured her place in the final, comprising the top six qualifiers. Of her qualification Scanlan said, "I managed to qualify with 118 which put me in bib number three for the final, so I was really happy to start in the middle of the pack."
Laetisha Scanlan during pre-competition training in Lonato
In the final under a blue sky and sunny warm conditions, with every target counting and a single miss detrimental to the outcome, Scanlan applied the pressure, and led the way to the gold medal. "There are so many talented women [competitors] so I knew it wasn't going to be an easy final but really happy to have started off strong initially and then that just led me into a battle for gold and silver against Fatima [Galvez from Spain]." Arriving in Italy a couple of weeks earlier to acclimatise, of the conditions in the final Scanlan said " It was incredibly hot in the final but having said that I was so glad I was out there".
Silver medallist, Fatima Galvez of Spain, Gold medallist, Laetisha Scanlan of Australia, Bronze medallist, Rumeysa Pelin Kaya of Turkey
Scanlan did not just have the support of the Australian Team who were watching on from the grandstand, but her parents Pamela and Bernie Scanlan made the trip to Italy to support their daughter. "…they got to watch me which was so amazing. They are my biggest supporters, so I am really really happy."
Watching on from their hometown in Melbourne, Scanlan's husband Sam Waters said "I am just so incredibly proud of her as always. Laetisha is constantly putting in the hard work and I am so happy she was able to get the reward she deserves and in front of her parents who made the trip to Italy to support her."
Scanlan will now return to Melbourne for a short break before she heads to Baku for the World Championships in August; a shotgun range where she won a World Cup bronze medal in 2022. "I am looking forward to going to Baku and again competing against the best of the best."
Also competing in the Womens Trap event, Australia's Catherine Skinner and Penny Smith (current world number one) shot qualification scores of 115 out of 125, finishing 18th and 19th respectively. In the Men's Trap event, current world number two James Willet shot a qualifying score of 121 out of 125 and narrowly missed a finals opportunity by one target. Mitchell Iles shot 119 out of 125 and Craig Henwood 110 out of 125.
Australian Skeet Team – Laura Coles, Frank Morris and Aislin Jones
Earlier in the week saw the Women's and Men's Skeet events contested with Australians Aislin Jones, Laura Coles and Frank Morris competing.
