Victorian Institute of Sport athletes cleaned up at the Shooting Australia Open earlier this month, with Elena Galiabovitch and Laetisha Scanlan both winning two gold medals each.
VIS’ Galiabovitch won the 25m Pistol event in nail-biting conditions, with the final coming down to a shoot-off against New South Wales’ Una Rossetto. However, she had no troubles in the 10m Air Pistol event leading at the end of almost every round and cruising to victory by over three target hits.
Meanwhile in the Trap events, VIS scholarship holders Laetisha Scanlan and Penny Smith came first and second in the women’s event, whilst James Willet was second in the men’s. Both Scanlan and Willet joined forces for the Mixed Pairs where they made no mistake, taking out the gold medal two targets clear.
Sergei Evglevki wasn’t quite able to win the gold in the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event. He was on equal points before the last round but just couldn’t find his rhythm, falling two targets short to ACT’s Thomas Ashmore. He wasn’t able to redeem himself in the 10m Air Pistol placing 6th position and missing the podium by 50 points.
(Smith (left) and Scanlan (centre) on the podium after the women's trap final)
The fantastic results for the VIS continued into the night, with four scholarship holders winning awards at the Shooting Australia Award of Excellence.
Galiabovitch headlined the event winning the ‘Ashley Adams Athlete of the Year’ for the best and fairest shooter of the calendar year.
“I am so honoured to have been named the Shooter of the Year for 2018.” She took to social media.
Scanlan won the Senior Female of the Year whilst Aislin Jones and Nathan Argiro won Best Junior Female and Male shooters.
(Galiabovitch pictured with her 'Ashley Adams Perpetual Trophy')
