Shooting: Stanton protests missed bronze

MELBOURNE - New Zealand shooter Nadine Stanton has launched a protest at a technicality which saw her miss out on a Commonwealth Games bronze medal yesterday.

Stanton finished fourth in the women's double trap, the event in which she won silver at Manchester four years ago, after losing a shoot-off for bronze against Canadian Cynthia Barbara Meyer at the Melbourne Gun Club.

Meyer was deemed to have won the shoot-off when she hit two clay pigeons to the New Zealander's one but Stanton and shotgun coach Gavin Paton immediately appealed. They said the wrong trap had been used for the shoot-off, transgressing international regulations.

The medal ceremony took place soon afterwards, even though a ruling had yet to be made on the New Zealand protest.

New Zealand officials have taken the matter to a an international judicial body, submitting evidence which they believe shows the shoot-off should be replayed.

Paton did not want to comment on details of the appeal.

However, Shooting New Zealand acting chief executive Tony Waymouth told NZPA it related to the wrong trap being used for the shoot-off.

A range of traps are employed throughout the competition but Waymouth said trap "C" should have been used for the shoot-off. Instead trap "B" was used, on a slightly different angle.

Waymouth said a key element of their submission was the fact that Stanton had pointed out the mistake before the shoot-off began.

"When they had their sighters (practice shots), she registered the fact that they were coming out of the wrong trap," Waymouth said.

"Before they resolved it, Cynthia had shot, so she (Stanton) went ahead and shot.

"The judges decided to reconfirm and we've since laid an official protest."

Waymouth said even though the medal ceremony took place, the shoot-off would be replayed if the jury ruled in their favour.

Waymouth believed international Court of Arbitration rules related to the unfair treatment of athletes supported their argument.

The three members of the jury are Shooting Australia chief executive Nick Sullivan, Scottish full bore rifle official Bob Aitken and Indian rifle official Avtar Singh.

Earlier, Stanton and Meyer finished tied on 97 points out of 120 after three rounds of competition. They finished well behind the Games record score 106 by defending champion Charlotte Kerwood while English compatriot Rachel Parish was second with 101.

New Zealand's Teresa Borrell was eighth and last with 81.

Yesterday's shoot-off mirrored the result for Stanton's long-time shooting partner Borrell, who reached a bronze medal shoot-off in the women's single trap on Tuesday but missed a medal.

Stanton won a silver and gold at the Manchester Games and reached the last six at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Her form has tailed off at these Games, although she showed glimpses of her best today.

She has refused to talk to journalists in Melbourne and was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Elsewhere there was little to enthuse over from New Zealand shooters.

Jason Wakeling just missed the final of the men's 25m rapid pistol fire, finishing seventh with 552 points. Alan Earle was ninth, two points behind him.

Sally Johnston was 14th in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions, recording 563 points while Sheryl Glass shot 560 for 16th place.

Jocelyn Lees was 14th and Andrea Bald 19th in the women's 10m air pistol, scoring 367 and 357 points respectively.

In the men's open full bore, Brian Carter tallied 399.47 for 12th place and John Snowden's 395.39 left him 21st.

New Zealand results:

Women's 50m rifle 3 positions - Sally Johnston 563 points 14th; Sheryl Glass 560 16th

Women's 10m air pistol - Jocelyn Lees 367 14th; Andrea Bald 357 19th

Men's 25m rapid fire pistol - Jason Wakeling 552 7th; Alan Earle 550 9th

Men's open full bore - Brian Carter 399.47 12th, John Snowden 395.39 21st

Women's double trap - Nadine Stanton 97 4th (lost bronze shoot-off); Teresa Borrell 81 8th

- NZPA