Laura Coles [Deleted]

Biography

Laura Coles is an Australian skeet shooter. Laura has won Gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games held at Glasgow.

Family- Childhood

Laura Coles was born on 22nd April 1987 in Stirling, Australia. She is originally from Busselton, Western Australia

Image: Laura Coles Family: Mom- Lee Coles, Dad-Glenn Coles & Sister- Verity Coles

Facts & Trivia

• The Beginning: Her grandfather had given her an old SKB Trap Gun, She followed her father's footsteps into shooting, he was shooting for fun and she enjoyed shooting with him.
• In her first competition she shot about 3 out of 25 targets. It was the most awful shooting at the competition, she wanted to challenge herself and see what is the best she can do. 
• Start of the career: She started shooting in 2003 when she was about 16.
• Skeet Shooting: She switched to skeet shooting in 2007. She was competing in other discipline before that. It was her father who persuaded her.
• She uses a 70cm short barrel gun which is about 28 inches [most others use guns with about 30 inches barrel.
• Her advice to those looking to come into clay shooting: Find the shotgun that fits, train more than once a week.
• She has previously won at :
  • 2011: Australia Cup- Gold
  • 2011: OCH Sydney- Silver
  • 2013: OCH Sydney- Gold
  • 2014: Common Wealth Games- Gold
  • 2015: OCH Sydney- Silver
  • 2016: ISSF National Women's Skeet - Gold
  • 2017: OCH Gold Coast- Gold
  • 2018: Sydney Cup- Gold
• Hot Shots: She runs her own clay shooting business in West Australia, it is named- Hot Shots. It is allowed for all shooters aged above 14. The club has more than 400 active members and it is affiliated to West Australia Shooting Association.
• She previously used to practice at Whiteman Park's International Shooting Complex.
• She has a pet bulldog named Barney, and a French bull dog - Hugo.
• Her father Glenn Coles is her coach.
• WINCHESTER AUSTRALIA has sponsored her previously.
• Official Selection Protest: Laura protested the official decision to omit her from the Australian shooting for the 2016 Rio Olympics. "the process they've used is really discriminating based on age." she said.
• She is Right handed and Right Eye is her master eye.
• Before she won at the Commonwealth games she did not have a job, she lived off her savings, her parents helped her. Now she owns a shooting range
• Nail stamping: Laura is also a talented nail artist, She expertly etches Australian designs on her nails with Nail Polish
• She ran with Queen's Baton in Manjimup in 2018 as a part of Gold Coast Commonwealth Games
• She uses a Perazzi shotgun for shooting.
• She will be participating at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Quotes

• I was lucky enough to win Gold at the Commonwealth games, [when the interviewer says- "that's not luck, that's lot of hard work and skill isn't it "], yeah you are not wrong [she laughs]
• It has been living the dream really [about travelling the world]
• The difference between American skeet (Normal skeet) and ISSF skeet is the speed. [American skeet is set for 55m and International standard at 60m] You have to start from Gun down position in ISSF. Also skeet may come as late as upto 3 seconds after the button press in ISSF skeet.
• It was definitely a difficult transition from shooting American skeet which was a lot easier to shoot ISSF skeet. Even after 5 years of being a skeet shooter I only scored 6 when I first switched the discipline to ISSF skeet.
• In ISSF event your suit is even more important.
• My goal is to go there and just enjoy it.
• [About entering skeet shooting] I liked the challenge and people were nice.
• [About winning the Gold at the Commonwealth games] It was absolutely amazing, it was a dream come true, all the hard work paid, I was overwhelmed on the day.
• I used to kind of slant my head over to the gun, Now I’ve straightened my head up, which allows me to see the target a little bit clearer and earlier.
• My dad is there every day. He knows what my shooting style is like, He knows me well and he knows what makes me tick.