Russell, 17, began competitive clay target shooting aged 14 and soon decided that shooting for his country at the world titles was to be his aim.
He set about achieving that goal with a solid competition schedule, which for the past 18 months has meant two events every weekend, across Victoria and occasionally interstate, with a couple of trips to New Zealand thrown in for good measure.
Following a qualifying process that included the Sporting Clays Australia National Sporting Championships in September last year and the SCA Sporting Grand Prix in March this year, Russell earned a place in the three-man Australian Junior Team (under-21), and his dream was set to play out at the FITASC Sporting World Championships at EJ Churchill Shooting Ground in England from July 10 to 13.
Although this was not Russell’s first international competition, it was by far the biggest with more than 1000 competitors in total and he said the nerves really kicked in, especially on the first and final days.
Russell said the targets were more difficult than what he had expected, and following the first day of competition he thought his chances of an individual podium finish were slim.
However, the combined scores of the Australian junior team members had them finish equal second with Spain in the teams event, just behind the United States, although the Australians ended up third on a countback. Individually, Russell had the equal ninth highest score in the under-21 category, to place 11th with 169/200.
Russell said he was happy with his 11th placing individually, but was particularly pleased with the podium finish as part of the junior team alongside NSW’s Mathew Wilesmith, who finished fourth in the Junior category, and fellow Victorian shooter Bryce Paglia, who finished 16th.
It was the second world title bronze medal in a week for Russell. At the International Clay Target Shooting Federation’s World English Sporting Championships at Dowth Hall, Ireland, from July 6 to 10, Russell surprised strong competition from English, Irish and American shooters to place third in the Junior (under-21) category.
Before these two world championship events, Russell had a successful lead-up campaign in England with second overall and first in under-21 at an English Sporting event at Atkin Grant and Lang Shooting Ground; while at Southdown Shooting Ground he placed second overall and first in under-21 in the Sportrap event, and first in under-21 in the English Sporting event at the same ground.
Russell, who is in Year 11 at Notre Dame College, will next turn his attention to events much closer to home while aiming for another chance to represent Australia on the international stage.
