Local sharp-shooter James Willett is the next big thing in the sport of shooting in Australia since Olympic champion Michael Diamond and is a big chance of bringing home a medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games according to his coach and mentor Russell Mark OAM.
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The Olympic gold medallist was all praise for Willett who has been focusing on giving himself the best chance to realise his gold medal dream at his custom-built shooting range on the family farm in Mulwala since the postponement of the Tokyo Games until July this year.
Mark told the Corowa Free Press last week that Willett is a good chance to make the final six competitors in both his single trap discipline and also the mixed doubles trap with Laetisha Scanlon.
“I rate him the best prospect in the sport since Michael Diamond OAM (dual Olympic medallist) and is on his way to maybe being the best ever in Australia,” Mark said.
No Australian male shooter has won an Olympic shooting gold medal since Diamond collected his second trap title in Sydney 20 years ago, but Willett can already be mentioned in the same sentence.
He shot a perfect men’s qualifying score of 125 out of 125 at a World Cup meeting in Mexico in 2019. Diamond is the only other Australian to achieve that feat.
“He did well in his first Olympics and has gone on from there winning world championship events,” Mark said.
“The only trouble with James is he needs to get to Europe to compete against better or equivalent athletes in his sport.”
Mark said Australia lacks the elite competition that can challenge and push Willett at the level he needs, which is a disadvantage.
“In my time I was lucky to be pushed by Michael Diamond, but everyone in Australia right now is below James’ level.
“He would improve against better people. But everyone has been affected by COVID.
“He has at least ten more years (at the top level) ahead of him so it will be exciting to see where he goes from here.”
Mark also believes Willett is a very good chance in the mixed doubles trap event with fellow Australian team member Laetisha Scanlon.
“They are a great pair and click well together. They won the world championship and have fellow Australian team members Tom Price and Penny Smith pushing them also.”
Willett, who competed in his first major national event for 2021 in Melbourne last weekend finishing third, is aiming to compete in at least one international event (South Korea scheduled for May) before the Olympics but was happy to get down to Melbourne for now.
“The whole Olympic team was to go down to Melbourne last weekend but some could not due to border restrictions,” Willett said.
“It was a good hit out. It gave me an idea of where I am and what to work on.
“The next national selection event is on at the end of March in the Yarra Valley.
“I can’t see any other overseas events going ahead other than South Korea and it’s hard to say what competitors will even get to that.”
In fact, Willett never got on a plane in 2020 to compete internationally, the first year he has not competed overseas since 2014.
“It feels strange, but it’s given me time to develop the new range,” Willett said.
Whatever happens Willett remains focused for Tokyo continuing his heavy training schedule on what his coach describes as “not an easy range”.
With a background that is dry, brown and vast Mark said training and competing on Willett’s Shelford range can work to his advantage.
“It’s harder to see the orange target, I spent three to four days there late last year and I needed prescription glasses after”, Mark joked.
“But as a result, when James gets to a range with an artificial green background he is seeing the target better.”
Willett said his training has been progressing well despite not being able to compete overseas.
“I suppose everyone is in the same boat but each country such as a place like Italy has plenty of depth so they have each other to compete against,” Willett said.
Totally dedicated to his sport, Willett began clay target shooting competitions some 12 years ago, back in 2008-2009 when his dad, Arthur Willett, taught him how to shoot.
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. He has also represented his country at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016 making the final and the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018.
Being raised on the farm and a country boy at heart, James has always wanted to stay local to the area where he grew up and is also thankful for the local support he has received during his sporting career.
“I have been very fortunate to have received the support I have to build our new layout which will enable me to stay in Yarrawonga Mulwala and train as I need to.
“A huge thank you to my local sponsors for their continued support of my sporting career, CMCU, Cobram/Yarrawonga Toyota and Hargraves Secured Investments.”
Shooting at Tokyo will consist of Shotgun (Trap and Skeet), Pistol (10m Air, 25m Rapid Fire Pistol and 25m Sports Pistol) and Rifle (50m 3-Positions and 10m Air Rifle) events. Tokyo will also see the Olympic debut of Mixed Team events in Trap, 10m Air Pistol and 10m Air Rifle.