Paris Olympics 2024: Kiwi taunts follow shock Australia as ‘underarm’ uproar rocks shooting world

New Zealand are claiming just revenge more than 40 years on from the infamous underarm incident - after sneakily snatching an Olympic spot from an Australian medal hope.

Australian shooting underarm incident art

A former gold medalist has been rushed in to rescue Australia’s Olympic shooting campaign following a Trans-Tasman blow-up which has drawn comparisons to cricket’s underarm delivery.

Shooting Australia have accepted a free-of-charge offer from Atlanta gold medallist and five-time Olympian Russell Mark to try and rescue Australia’s men’s trap team after a dramatic off-field event at the Oceania Games in Brisbane has left them in danger of missing the Olympics for the first time since 1968.

Highly ranked James Willett, privately coached by Mark, was expected to win in Brisbane in November and thus secure Australia’s trap team automatic entry to July’s Paris Games.

But, in a shock set-back, Willett missed the mandatory check-in time for the final and a Kiwi coach standing near the check-in counter launched a protest which resulted in Willett being penalised two points.

Willett eventually lost by that margin to New Zealand’s Owen Robinson and the Kiwis were jubilant at securing an unexpected ticket to Paris.

Australian shooting great Russell Mark has stepped in to rescue their Paris campaign.

Australia now have with just one event – in Doha – to gain Olympic entry for one or two of their team of Willett, Mitch Iles and Thomas Grice.

“New Zealand are still laughing about it – they are saying there is your justice for the underarm delivery,’’ Mark said in reference to Trevor Chappell’s infamous underarm to New Zealand at the MCG in 1981.

“There is no way you could expect New Zealand to be in Paris ahead of Australia but they are saying ‘hey you blokes ran that event in Brisbane and didn’t even follow your own rules’.’’

“It’s a concern. At this point New Zealand is going to the Olympics in the men’s trap and we are not going.

“That’s frustrating because we are better than them. We are in desperate strife. That’s why I got called in.

“I was not in Brisbane but I watched the event and rang up Shooting Australia the next morning to offer my help.’’

Mark, who has already teams from India and Qatar to Paris, will be joined on the coaching team by his wife Lauren who will coach the women’s skeet team, also free of charge.

Originally published as Paris Olympics 2024: Kiwi taunts follow shock Australia as ‘underarm’ uproar rocks shooting world