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Australia looking to Diamond and Vella

 

Australia looking to Diamond and Vella

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AOC
Australia looking to Diamond and Vella

SHOOTING: Michael Diamond is like no other shooter.While many shooters chose to arrive in London well ahead of the Olympics to familiarise themselves with the conditions and the range, Diamond left it until midway through the first week before checking into the athletes village.

Michael Diamond is like no other shooter.

While many shooters chose to arrive in London well ahead of the Olympics to familiarise themselves with the conditions and the range, Diamond left it until midway through the first week before checking into the athletes village.

And once he was here, the 40-year-old spent the first couple of days resting up after the long flight, got a haircut and just chilled out in the village before eventually hitting the range for some practice.

Fellow Australian shooter and roommate in the athletes village, Russell Mark, is not surprised by Diamond's approach.

"Michael seems to have that ability to just rock up the day before and just shoot," Mark said.

"That's why he is special.

"There's no other Michael Diamond here."

Australia will certainly be hoping Diamond can reproduce the form that won him the men's trap gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games, given the barren run for the green and gold at the Royal Artillery Barracks so far at these Olympics.

"He has just turned 40 and he realises he is getting to the end of his career, but I think you will still see something special from him," Mark said.

The men's trap, to be held on Sunday, represents one of Australia's best chances for a podium finish, with Diamond and Adam Vella representing the green and gold.

Vella, who arrived in London about a week before the opening ceremony, has spent his time practising and adjusting to new glasses and a new shotgun that he switched to about two months ago.

The 41-year-old from Victoria won bronze in the trap in his Olympic debut at Athens 2004.

London will be Diamond's sixth summer Olympics, a feat equalled by Mark, sailor Colin Beashel and rower James Tomkins.

Only equestrian rider Andrew Hoy stands above them, with London his seventh summer Olympics.

Australia will also be represented on Sunday by Daniel Repacholi in the men's 50m pistol.

Jordan Chong
AAP