Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home News Education

Rachael’s sights are on London

byStaff writers
30 March 2008 - Updated on 16 March 2021
Reading Time: 2 mins read
AA
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

RACHAEL Ross is one girl not to be messed with.

This 17-year-old student from St Augustine’s College, Springfield, has become the new Queensland Cup shooting champion, and is on target for a place in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

But she did not expect to win the competition last month, held at Belmont’s James Smith Rifle Range, rivalling an experienced group of adult males in 40-degree heat.

And she was more nervous than usual on the day – with a Lions Youth of the Year interview that night, and having travelled one hour from Springfield to get there.

Rachael explained why nerves are a hindrance in shooting.

“Travelling makes your heart beat quicker because you’ll be looking at things,” she said.

“This isn’t good because we are supposed to take shots between our heart beats, to prevent any movement from getting in the way.

“So you want your heart to beat as slow and steady as possible.”

The young gun, who’s family only recently moved from Singapore to Australia, has come a long way since discovering her potential three years ago.

“I was going to join the school band back home, but the only available instrument was a tambourine, so I thought the air rifle club sounded a bit more interesting,” she said.

Related Stories

Nuncio take in the sights of Queensland’s far north

Cardinal Joseph Zen appears in court in Hong Kong on day of prayer for China

15 killed in Texas school shooting

Rachel’s coach Garrin Angel, proud of her victory, said he had never met someone so young and with so much ability.

“What Rachael can do with such limited experience is mind boggling,” he said.

“She is still someone we would classify as a beginner and it took me about eight years to get to her equivalent level.”

Despite her natural talent, Rachael has been consistently dedicated to a rigorous training regime, including one-hour runs from 5am to 6am on weekdays and shooting practice on Friday nights.

She has also worked hard at improving her level of mind control and self-discipline.

“Every time I have an exam coming up I shoot slightly to the left,” she said.

“But I am slowly learning to put my emotions in a box while I shoot, and then open it afterwards.

“It also helps me with my study because I can sit down and focus on something without being easily distracted.”

Rachael regularly attends the Church of the Twelve Apostles in Jindalee and has bought tickets for World Youth Day.

She said Catholicism provided her with answers to many of life’s difficult questions, “like why we are here and what we are doing”, which also assisted her ability to relax while shooting.

Her ultimate goal is to achieve a perfect 10-point bullseye with every shot.

This would involve accurately hitting a small dot in the centre of nine rings, on a 10-by-10-centimetre square paper target, usually for 40 consecutive shots.

And, she seems to be on her way.

In the Queensland Cup competition last month, Rachael competed in the male division over 60 shots, scoring 550 out of 600.

“This is something I know I can do and I just want to keep doing it until I can’t better myself anymore,” she explained.

ShareTweet
Previous Post

SLEUTH

Next Post

Catholics set for 2020 Summit

Staff writers

Related Posts

Nuncio take in the sights of Queensland’s far north
News

Nuncio take in the sights of Queensland’s far north

25 May 2022
Hong Kong
World

Cardinal Joseph Zen appears in court in Hong Kong on day of prayer for China

25 May 2022
15 killed in Texas school shooting
News

15 killed in Texas school shooting

25 May 2022
Next Post

Catholics set for 2020 Summit

Forum to focus on curriculum

Missionaries welcomed

Popular News

  • Archbishop calls for prayers in “troubled times”

    Archbishop calls for prayers in “troubled times”

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • US bishops applaud San Francisco prelates pastoral response to Pelosi’s decades of abortion advocacy

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • From a humble start Albanese is sworn in as new prime minister

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 15 killed in Texas school shooting

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Nuncio take in the sights of Queensland’s far north

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Nuncio take in the sights of Queensland’s far north
News

Nuncio take in the sights of Queensland’s far north

by Staff writers
25 May 2022
0

Pope Francis’ delegate to Australia has found time for sightseeing during a busy trip to Far North...

Hong Kong

Cardinal Joseph Zen appears in court in Hong Kong on day of prayer for China

25 May 2022
15 killed in Texas school shooting

15 killed in Texas school shooting

25 May 2022
Archbishop calls for prayers in “troubled times”

Archbishop calls for prayers in “troubled times”

24 May 2022
Myanmar military burns houses, destroys a village

US bishops applaud San Francisco prelates pastoral response to Pelosi’s decades of abortion advocacy

24 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping