Local champion shooter James Willett will aim for a gold medal next week as he competes in his third Olympics in Paris.
Will it be third time lucky for Willett?
Mulwala’s young gun and the World’s top trap shooter James Willett is aiming for gold as he competes in his third Olympics next week in Paris.
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Willett, 28, will compete in the Men’s Trap event on Monday and Tuesday, July 29-30 at 9am (5pm Australian Eastern Standard Time), with the finals on the Tuesday.
The former Corowa High School student competed in double trap at the 2016 Rio Games as a 20-year-old, finishing fifth after shooting an Olympic record, and at the 2022 Tokyo Games, he finished 21st in the trap and seventh in the trap mixed team.
James’ father Arthur and mum Dionne will be cheering him on from the family farm in Mulwala next week.
“I think both past Olympic experiences will help me prepare for the Paris Olympic Games,” Willet told the Chronicle.
“I live and breathe shooting every day. It is my passion and something that I want to do for years to come, so I think all of the experiences I have had up to this point, in general, will go a long way to help me shoot the best I can in Paris.
“Obviously, the Olympics is a different build-up, and there is a lot of hype around the event, so I think this is where my experience will help the most and allow me to prepare for the event as I need to.”
Willett will compete in the field of 30, against the best competitors from many countries.
Willett’s win at the World Cup in Baku in May helped secure a spot in the Paris Olympics team and elevated him to the top two spot in the World for men’s trap.
“Italy is probably the strongest, and Czech Republic, Croatia and Great Britain are also very strong,” he said.
“I’ve got a good show but like all sports, it’s about how well you go on the day.
“Anyone in the top ten shooters could win it. Preparation is very important, and I feel my lead up has been good.
A shortened Olympic qualifying schedule has meant Willett has had to work harder than ever to keep his ranking to qualify for his third Olympics, travelling overseas on numerous occasions to compete.
But the tenacious, hardworking Mulwala boy pulled off an important win when it counted and kept his world ranking well above the top three.
In ideal preparation for the Paris Olympics, Willet lifted himself to an important win in the last World Cup event in Baku in May and returned to the world No.1 ranking for the first time since 2019.
It wasn’t until June, when Willett was relegated to the World number two position, that he knew he has booked his ticket to Paris.
“I feel like my training and preparations have paid off in the lead-up to this event and I was really pleased to have had Russell Mark (1996 Olympic double trap gold medallist) as part of the coaching team there to watch me in the final.
“We have been working together now for just over ten years so the win in Baku really meant a lot to me and was a little special in that sense.”
Totally dedicated to his sport, Willett began clay target shooting competitions back in 2008 when his dad, Arthur Willett, taught him how to shoot.
“Dad taught me all the basics and helped Corowa High School with clay shooting at the Corowa Clay Target Club. Mum (Dionne) and Dad used to run events there and have always supported my shooting. I’m very pleased the Corowa club is still going strong and offering opportunities to school kids.”
Dionne, who will be watching from their Mulwala home next week with Arthur, said James has had to work harder than ever to qualify for this Olympics, but believes that this has given him a much better preparation than the previous Olympics.
Willett holding up his ticket to his third Olympics.
“He has had to work a lot more than ever before. I think physically and mentally he is better prepared,” Dionne said.
“James was very young in the sport when he competed at Rio in his first Olympics, and before the Tokyo Games, he was limited in his preparation to compete internationally due to Covid.
“It was tough for him then, but he is now better prepared this time,” she added.
Willett junior began clay target shooting as a school sport at Corowa High School, progressing to competitions on weekends and making his first international team in 2014 as a junior with many winning World Cup performances thereafter.
“The dream of winning the Olympic Games is probably one of the biggest reasons for me staying in the sport,” he said.
“But I am really lucky to have found a job where I am learning the carpentry trade and have the fully flexible hours where I can work to suit my shooting career with Kennedy Builders.
“I think finding some sort of life/work and shooting balance is a challenge but having the right people around you and supporting you through the career is a massive advantage and helps alleviate some of the pressure while travelling and competing.
“I’ve greatly appreciated the support from Mulwala, Yarrawonga and Corowa, the support from the community and my sponsors is so appreciated.”
Whatever the results in Paris Willett is still in his prime, with many shooting athletes playing at the top off the sport well into their 30s and 40s.
“They say you hit your prime in your 30s!” Willett said.
“Russell Mark won Olympic Gold at Atlanta in 1996, aged 32 years, anything is possible.”
Los Angeles in 2028 and then a home Olympics in Brisbane in 2032 remain a continued focus for Willett, who, with his family, has built a custom world-class shooting facility at the family farm in Mulwala.
But for now, Willett is focused on bringing a medal home for Australia, Yarrawonga Mulwala and his family and predicts a 46 or 47 target hit will be required to win gold.
