Trap shooting: Medal hopes collapse

SYDNEY - New Zealand trap shooters Victor Shaw and Brant Woodward are out of Olympics medal contention after struggling in Saturday's opening qualification rounds.

Shaw, who shot 62 from a possible 75, was 32nd equal of 41 marksmen after three of five qualification rounds. Woodward, 38, was third-last, with a score of 59.

It was now impossible for either to make the six-man final on Sunday, shooting manager Ian Pottinger said.

Olympic champion Michael Diamond of Australia, on 72, held a two-point lead over Giovanni Pellielo of Italy, Briton Ian Peel and Czech David Kostelecky.

Diamond scored 23, 24 and a perfect 25 in three rounds at the Sydney International Shooting Centre.

Shaw, at 20 the youngest member of the New Zealand shooting squad, had a shaky start when he notched a day's worst 18.

Pottinger said Shaw had realised the enormity of his task when he arrived at the firing line. He took a while to settle.

He bounced back with an excellent 23, on a day when there were few perfect scores, closing with a 21.

``If Victor can have a couple of good rounds tomorrow - a 46-47 - it's going to make his score a lot more respectable, and make him a lot happier,'' Pottinger said.

``It's a learning curve, and he's taking what he can for it.''

Woodward, who is at his second Olympics, had rounds of 20, 20, 19.

Pottinger said Woodward had simply tried too hard.

``Brant had an expectation he was going to do well, he's been training well . . . he just worked at it too hard at the start, and it just didn't work for him,'' Pottinger said.

``He just couldn't get the rhythm, lost the first bird (target) and it really set him back.''

- NZPA