Students on target for the top

TOP SHOTS: Danica Radich and Mason Reed won New Zealand titles in skeet at their clay target national secondary schools championships.PHOTO/JOHN STONE

Two dedicated Northland students are firing their way up the ranks after winning their respective secondary school competitions.

Mason Reed and Danica Radich, from Whangerei Boys' and Girls' High Schools respectively, won the national secondary schools boys' and girls' skeet shooting titles.

George Radich, Danica's father and the Whangerei Girls' team manager, was delighted with their results last week in Hamilton.

"They have done fantastically for Northland," he said.

In a sport that continues all-year-round, sacrifices have to be made to compete at a high level.

Reed and Radich agreed that it was common for them to lose their weekends, training on Saturdays and competing on Sundays.

Reed said his life was not like that of a normal teenager.

"It's all been about the shooting. Since I started shooting in 2009 I've not gone to any parties."

Reed, who lives in Kamo, also faces a lengthy journey to the Waitemata Clay Target Club in Auckland every time he trains.

When competing, the two agreed maintaining concentration was the most difficult thing.

"You can never have two things in your mind," Reed said. "If you master the mental side of it no one will beat you because no one has done it."

Radich added that staying relaxed was also crucial.

"If you think about not missing a target you most likely will."

Mr Radich said watching the competitions was hard enough for him.

"It's not good on the body. You get nerves and then things start to go wrong. Every shooter has bad days from time-to-time because it's very hard to keep that focus."

Mr Radich said both students have the ability to aim for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

However, he said it was important the two remained focused after graduating from college.

"They've both got the ability to go far, but it all changes when they leave school and get jobs.

"You've also got to have that drive. It's about the silver fern."

At the moment both are preparing for tournaments next month. Reed is preparing for the Oceania Shooting Federation Continental Championships in Sydney after being selected for the New Zealand under-21 team.

Radich, meanwhile, will shoot at the open Australasian National Skeet competition in Christchurch.

She hopes to be selected for the New Zealand junior ladies skeet team.