Aussie shooters confident of Rio medals

Shooting Australia boss Damien Marangon is confident Australia will win a medal at the Rio Olympics after walking away from London in 2012 empty-handed.

Shooting Australia are confident their team won't leave next year's Rio Olympics empty-handed, after securing the last remaining qualifying spots.

Australia will send 18 shooters to the 2016 Games - one more than they had in London - after winning 14 out of a possible 15 quotas at the Oceania championships in Sydney.

This added to the four they had qualified for already.

Victorians Keith Ferguson and James Bolding, and David Chapman from South Australia picked up the final places late on Wednesday in the men's skeet and 25m rapid fire pistol events at Cecil Park in Sydney.

SA boss Damien Marangon said Australia's performances at the continental tournament showed the country was tracking well for Rio.

"We did not contribute to the Australian medal tally in London, but we are confident based on the performances of our athlete cohort that this will not happen in Rio," he said on Thursday.

Chef de Mission for next year's Olympics, Kitty Chiller, shares the hope that shooting will help get Australia into the top five at the Games.

"To get a sport like shooting back onto the podium with a couple of medals in Rio would be fantastic," she said.

Australia has uncovered some exciting new talent, according to Marangon, and the team for Rio should see a great mix of mature, seasoned athletes and up-and-coming stars.

"We are now entering a critical part of our selection period where athletes will have to deliver when it counts to ensure their selection," he added.

The first selection event will be the Australia Cup 2 in Adelaide for rifle from December 11-13, 2015.


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Source: AAP



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