Australian shooter James Willett has celebrated his world No.1 ranking in the lead up to the Paris Olympics by winning the latest trap World Cup round.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The 28-year-old from country Mulwala was ranked fifth after the qualifying rounds in Baku.
He then shone in the final, scoring 46 out of 50 to beat Slovakian Filip Marinov by four, while Jean Pierre Brol Cardenas from Guatemala was third.
It is Willett's 16th World Cup medal and seventh win.
Also in the Azerbaijan capital, compatriot and world No.11 Penny Smith claimed women's trap silver to further boost her Paris claims.
Smith won bronze at the Olympic qualification championships in Doha less than a fortnight ago and carried that form into Baku as the top qualifier.
Ray Bassil from Lebanon scored 44 to beat Smith by four, while Italy's Erica Sessa won bronze.
The result means Smith now is fourth on the pre-Olympic world rankings.
Wilett has competed at the last two Olympics in double trap - no longer a Games event - trap and mixed trap and is yet to win a medal.
Australian Michael Diamond won the men's trap at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, while Adam Vella claimed bronze in 2004.
Suzy Balogh (2004) and Catherine Skinner (2016) have won gold in women's trap.
Australian Associated Press
