Tokyo 2020: Cobbitty’s Thomas Grice shooting for Olympic success
Heavy metal music is one of the tools of success for this NSW athlete chasing Tokyo Olympic selection.
Macarthur
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In Thomas Grice’s sport practice, heavy metal music and occasionally a little bit of the Red Hot Chilli Pepper are all crucial to his success.
The Cobbity shooter is chasing selection at his first Olympic Games in Tokyo later this year in a series of upcoming competitions - including two events this week.
The Cobbity shooter is competing at the Commonwealth and National Championships at the Newcastle Lake Macquarie Clay Target Club until January 18 as he pushes to secure one of two sports available to shooters in men’s trap shooting at the Tokyo Olympics.
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And heading north with Grice are some of the tools of his success - his favourite music and noise cancelling headphones.
“In shooting it really is practice makes perfect. It needs to be like a routine, second nature with muscle memory,’’ he said.
“Training for me, because I work, is limited to Saturday and Sunday when I’m at the range all day.
“There’s a lot of sitting around and waiting. You only shoot for max 35 minutes at a time.
“It is about zoning in and zoning out at the correct time, making sure you are 100 per cent ready to go when you have to day.
“I listen to a lot of music as I prepare to go out. I also do a little visualisation but for the most part I wear noise cancelling headphones.’’
Grice said when he needs to fire up he turns to heavy metal and when he needs to calm down its something “a little softer’’.
“If I am lethargic I put on some metal. My favourite is Wage War and Low at the moment,’’ he said.
“My ultimate chill out is Slow Cheetah by the Chilli Peppers.’’
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Grice started shooting with his grandfather when 12 and competed at last year’s Commonwealth Games.
Pistol and rifle athletes will each contest separate Olympic selection events in February and March before the Australian Olympic shooting team is announced in late March.
Among the trap athletes competing at the championships this week are Rio Olympic gold medallist Catherine Skinner and 2018 Commonwealth Games champion Laetisha Scanlan.
Men’s trap shooters Adam Vella and Oceania champion Mitchell Iles are seeking back-to-back Olympic team selection.