Maddison Zuliani
by Rachael Andrews
Maddison Zuliani began her shooting career just two years ago by winning her first ever competition and since then, she’s rarely been off-target. The 14-year-old began shooting at the SSAA Wagga Wagga club’s annual open day, with her father Carlo by her side.
“Winning that first competition really got me into it,” she said. “I wanted to go back out and do it again.”
In fact, having her father coach her through the shoots is part of the reason Maddison believes she enjoys the sport.
“It’s good having my dad out there at the range. He helps me through by spotting and sighting-in and giving me tips,” she said.
“Being able to shoot with him has made me want to do the sport.”
Among Maddison’s successes is winning the Junior Club Champion for 2008, placing 11th at the Open Club Championships, third in Open Rimfire Benchrest, B Grade Champion Smallbore shooter for 2007 and first in Junior Rimfire Benchrest.
“I like this sport better than other sports. Not many people do it and it’s a real challenge every time you go to the line,” she said.
While her focus for the past two years has been in the Rimfire Benchrest and Smallbore events, Maddison is starting to expand her skills.
“I had a go at shooting Shotgun this year; it was completely different and I went pretty good,” she said. “I hit a few targets. It was different having a moving target though.”
Maddison said she wanted to keep trying new disciplines for the “challenge”, but also for fun.
“I just like to give it a go and have fun,” she said. “It’s a sport that not everyone does and it’s good because you have to try better yourself, but beat the other people.”
While casual about where she wants to go in the sport, Maddison admitted that she put the pressure on herself to constantly improve.
“My goals are to beat Steph [Stephanie Wade, a fellow junior shooter at the SSAA Wagga Wagga club] and to have fun doing it,” she said.
“I don’t know where it will take me, but I just like having a go.”
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