Onslow Rifle Club shooter Trevor Oliver experienced one of his best competitive days in winning the national championships in driving rain at Trentham's rifle range.
Oliver, the Ballinger Belt sitting proudly across his shoulder, became Onslow's second winner after Keith Walshe, who captured the title in 1963.
The Wellington printer won the belt after a dramatic final 15-shot competition, getting there by just an inner bull's eye from Cheltenham's Darryl Crow.
The shooters had to contend with persistent rain throughout, but scores were high.
Oliver was not concerned about the rain, saying he left that side of the equation to the gods.
"You can't let the weather affect you too much."
In the final round, won by Upper Hutt's Wendy O'More with 75.13, Oliver finished with a 75.10 and second-placed Crow scored 75.11.
"I know what this means, to me, to my family, to my friends and I'm just so humble that I could achieve this," Oliver said after his win.
"I'm proud for the club because I have always been with this club and this [victory] is as much theirs as it is mine."
He said he was relaxed before the final, but excited.
"Once I had made 75 I thought to myself I had got it," he said.
"I kept on hearing Darryl's score and his centrals, but then I just blocked it out and concentrated on my own game."
Oliver's week had been busy, juggling his passion for shooting with running his printing company.
Before one round, he dashed from the range to his printing firm.
"I had to get this order out so I didn't get to bed till 2.30 am and was back up at the range at 6 am," he said. "At the moment I can enjoy this [holding the belt].
"This is the culmination of years and years of doing this sport and getting things to click at the right time, both equipment and mental ability."
Though lacking in match practice, Oliver said "visualisation training" was a big help.
Oliver, 61, has been shooting for 37 years after being invited to Trentham by his neighbour.
"Back then I used to shoot a little indoor at the Cuba St range and my neighbour said to me to come out to Trentham.
"I came with him and I did reasonably well with my first range and I have been coming back every year."
Since 1988, when he came runner-up, he has been in all, bar one, Queen's Fifty finals.
Anything this year that made a difference? "Nope. I guess it was just my turn," he said.
- NZPA
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