Veteran shooter Civon Smith is part of Commonwealth and Olympic Games’ next generation

A 45-year-old pistol shooter seen as a next generation star of her sport has joined rookies and school students from other sports striving for Olympic or Commonwealth Games selection.

Civon Smith maybe 45, but she is a next generation athlete in the world of pistol shooting who, just like rookies from other sports, has set her sights on breaking into the Australian team for next year’s Commonwealth Games.

Smith is no different to teenage diving sensation Cassiel Rousseau, schoolgirl swimmers Elizabeth Dekkers and Mollie O’Callaghan, water polo young gun Tenealle Fasala or 20-year-old decathlon sensation Ashley Moloney (decathlon) in desiring Games’ selection.

The rookies may be young of heart, but they find themselves with exactly the same ambitions as Smith.

Indeed at age 45, Smith’s career is also just ramping up.

“Shooting is a sport for life. So long as you can handle the gun, your hands are steady and your eyes are good, you can do it for as long as you like,’’ Smith said.

“It is a sport for all ages. So there is no advantage or disadvantage in terms of age.’’

Civon Smith shooting at a tournament

Smith’s shooting has gone to another level after a PB at last year’s Olympic trials.

So impressive was she that Smith was invited into this week’s training camp alongside Australia’s Olympic pistol athletes at the Brisbane International Shooting Centre in Belmont.

The Olympic contingent includes Queensland’s Dina Aspandiyarova whose remarkable road to elite international competition started in a shooting range basement in her native Kazakhstan.

Despite being 45, Smith is the new kid on the block and has lapped up training with Australia’s best.

Civon Smith with a bronze medal

“This is the first time since the lockdown that we got to shoot together and compete with each other.

“We have done a lot of exercises, gym, technical training and it is good to work together with people rather than doing it through Zoom.

“I got to learn a lot because of the different competitors.

“We have a variety of Olympians and I get to learn from them, how to train with them.’’

Smith’s next chance to impress will be at the BISC Cup on January 29-31.

WHO ARE SOME OF AUSTRALIA’S OTHER NEXT GENERATION STARS?

TOM NEILL

There is a swarm of young swimmers expected to press hard for Olympic and Commonwealth Games selection, including schoolgirls Mollie O’Callaghan (St Peters Lutheran College Springfield) and Elizabeth Dekkers (All Hallows’ School) from Newmarket Racers, the All Saints’ Tom Hauck, sprinter Meg Harris (St Peters Western) and Lani Pallister who recently moved to Michael Bohl at Gold Coast.

Gregory Terrace swimmer Tom Neill

But the best of the bunch is Rackley Centenary’s Tom Neill, a St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace old boy who will push for a 800m freestyle and 4x200m freestyle relay berth.

Tenealle Fasala from Queensland Thunder and Brisbane Barracudas. (AAP Image/Renae Droop)

TENEALLE FASALA

The impressive Tenealle Fasala and fellow Queenslander Alice Williams were late inclusions in the Australian women’s water polo Olympic training squad which was expanded from 15 to 20 once the Tokyo Olympic Games were delayed. Williams has already played for Australia, but Fasala, an Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School alumni, will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of her swimming father Greg (1984) by making her Olympic debut.

AIS diver Cassiel Rousseau

CASSIEL ROUSSEAU

Former gymnast Cassiel Rousseau is Australia’s brilliant young rookie from the AIS diving program who is expected to become an Olympian later this year. A past student of Mansfield State School and Cleveland District State High School, Rousseau is a natural in the sport who won the junior 3m national title within six months of starting diving, and who progressed to win the 10m senior national title last year.

UQ Sport’s Ashley Moloney, a BBC old boy, is close to Olympic selection Picture: Richard Walker

ASHLEY MOLONEY

Ashley Moloney is the sleeping giant of world athletes who has produced an Olympic qualifying time in the gruelling decathlon. Moloney, 20, recently broke the Australian senior decathlon record and has gone past his training partner, Rio Olympian and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Cedric Dubler.

Elizabeth Dekkers from the Newmarket Racers.

ELIZABETH DEKKERS

The baby of the bunch, the Newmarket Racers’ young gun is a thrilling butterfly exponent from All Hallows’ School who is just one big improvement from making the Olympic team. Regardless, mark her down for an Aussie debut at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Originally published as Veteran shooter Civon Smith is part of Commonwealth and Olympic Games’ next generation