It’s a long way from the South East suburbs of Melbourne to Lonato Del Garda; but Berwick girl Laetisha Scanlan has certainly made herself at home on the banks of the biggest lake in Italy.
On Sunday, Scanlan secured her 14th and 15th World Cup medals, winning Gold at the International Shooting Sport Federation Shotgun World Cup.
Competing in the Women’s Trap event, Scanlan shot an impressive qualification score of 120 out of 125 targets to secure her finals berth, only one target behind top qualifier and world number two, Silvana Stanco (ITA).
Fellow Australian’s also competing in the Women’s Trap event included Molly Bretag who shot a score of 109 out of 125, and Penny Smith and Kiara Dean both shooting 107.
A score of 115 secured a place in the final.
Competition in the final was fierce with 50 world cup medals collectively across the top-four qualifiers, with a field complete with Olympians, Olympic medallists and top-10 world rankings.
This did not deter Scanlan as she remained calm and retained her composure, taking an early lead.
Scanlan had high praise for the depth of talent in the final.
“The level of competition in Women’s Trap right now is as high as it has ever been,” she said.
“I knew going into the final that I was up against some of the best in the world, so it was always going to be a high-scoring, high-pressure match.
“I’ve made some key adjustments over the past eight weeks, and it’s really encouraging to see those changes paying off.”
Stanco won the silver medal, two targets behind Scanlan, with Lada Denisova winning the bronze medal.
With success in Lonato spanning nearly a decade, and her second individual gold medal at the Lonato World Cup, Scanlan has found her happy place in the Italian province of Brescia.
“There’s just something about Italy that feels so special,” she said.
“Every time I come to Lonato I say to myself that no matter the result, I always have a wonderful time.
“Of course, I come here to compete and give it everything I’ve got, but some places simply resonate with you, and Italy definitely holds a special place in my heart.”
With 15 World Cup medals now in her collection, Scanlan describes the feeling of the new addition. “It’s always an incredible feeling to win a World Cup gold,” she explained.
“These moments are rare and never guaranteed, so I feel extremely grateful to still have the opportunity to compete at this level in a sport that I truly love.
“Every medal has its own story, and this one is especially meaningful. “
At the age of 35, with her time in the sport spanning over two decades, Scanlan reflects on her development as a competitor.
“I feel like I’m constantly evolving,” she said.
“This sport has taught me so much about myself, and as I get older, I find that I appreciate the journey even more.
“I’m still learning, still growing, and moments like this remind me that I’m moving closer to the long-term goals I’ve set for myself.
“It’s a really fulfilling stage of my career.”
In breaking news, Scanlan made it a fantastic weekend in her career teaming up with Mitch Iles to also win the Trap Mixed Team event.
The gold-medal winner said she didn’t approach the team’s event any differently.
“My approach stays the same; I stick to my processes and routines,” she said after winning World Cup medal 15.
“I have full confidence in Mitch; he’s an exceptional shooter and a great teammate.”
In other results from Lonato; in the Men’s Trap competition, running parallel to Women’s Trap, Iles and James Willett both shot a qualification score of 120, narrowly missing a finals chance by one target.
Thomas Grice shot 115 out of 125 targets, Nathan Argiro 112, and Marco Corbo 108.
A score of 121 was required for a finals opportunity.
-With Jane Vella-
