Olympic Games: Australian shooter Mitchell Iles finally gets Rio ticket and sets sights on a medal

MITCHELL Iles is the 17-year-old Shooting Australia never wanted to send to Rio. But he believes he can win an Olympic medal after being handed a Games ticket.

Mitchell Iles is the grandson of shooting legend Bill.

MITCHELL Iles is the 17-year-old rising star Shooting Australia never wanted to send to Rio.

But yesterday the Melburnian declared he could win an Olympic medal after finally being handed his ticket to the Games.

The grandson of shooting legend Billy Iles last week won a Court of Arbitration for Sport appeal that forced Shooting Australia to reselect its trap representatives.

The decision came a day after Shooting Australia had ruled veteran Michael Diamond ineligible because of drink-driving and weapons charges.

CAS ruled Shooting Australia should consider the development potential of Iles, Australia’s No. 1-ranked trap shooter, in choosing its two-man team.

Shooting Australia still reselected Diamond as well as Adam Vella, then handed Iles a nomination as Diamond was ineligible.

That infuriated the shooting establishment, but Iles and his mother Rachel were diplomatic yesterday after a three-month appeal process.

“I don’t really have an opinion,’’ Iles said.

Michael Diamond had his Rio ticket revoked after drink driving charges.

“I think it was pretty bad I wasn’t looked at more closely than Adam and Michael given I am still ranked No.1.

“I was quite disappointed with the initial decision, but I asked Mum and Pop (Bill) what they thought and we decided to appeal it.

“On benchmark scores, I shot three of them in the time period and Adam might have shot one, so that kind of speaks for itself.

“The appeal was unreal, it was never-ending. I am very excited and I am not too sure what will happen over there, but I will try to put the score on the board and hopefully get a medal.”

Iles’ rise has been meteoric. He switched to the trap only in January 2015, then peeled off a series of remarkable scores.

It is one reason why Shooting Australia, having invested so much of its Winning Edge funding in Vella and Diamond, was in an impossible situation.

Illes has been in stellar form this year and is a genuine medal prospect.

“I went to a junior World Cup last year and finished fourth after qualifying first for the final, then went to the Qatar Open against everyone who will be at the Olympics and qualified first for the final and finished fourth,’’ Iles said.

He paid tribute to his grandfather and mother for giving him the chance to compete at an Olympics.

“I think it’s going to be unreal, something I will never forget,’’ he said.

“Just Mum raised me, I don’t have anything to do with my father.

“Mum has done a lot of work to get me where I am. I have been going to the gun club with Bill since I was two or three and couldn’t wait until I was 12 to shoot.

“He never went to the Olympics. He has tattoos and in his day most people who had tattoos were regarded as criminals so they didn’t want him in the team.

“But ever since I was 12 I have followed him and he has taught me what to do.”

Originally published as Olympic Games: Australian shooter Mitchell Iles finally gets Rio ticket and sets sights on a medal