SHOOTING - Kiwi Nobes takes national title from Aussies

NORTHLAND pistol shooter Thomas Nobes, pictured right, continued his rapid development in the sport when he won the Australian Nationals junior men's air pistol title at a competition in Brisbane recently.
Nobes won the competition with a score of 565 out of 600. His coach Greg Yelavich, in the interests of experience, also got him to enter the men's air pistol contest as well, where the Whangarei shooter finished eighth out of 73 competitors.
The 18-year-old was one of four New Zealanders to shoot in this event.
At the beginning of March, Thomas also competed at the New Zealand Nationals held at Ardmore in Auckland, where he set two national records.
He beat his own record in junior men's air, and also now holds the record for the junior sport (22 calibre) pistol as well.
Nobes isn't the only Northland shooter to excel in competition. There is also going to be a presentation to Whangarei Girls' High School for winning the inaugural national secondary schools' air pistol title.
The team of Kayla Tatley, Samantha Penney and Samantha Nobes won the team's event late last year and it is hoped that Olympic medal winner Bruce McMillan will present the trophy that was given his name, to the team.