Tongala’s Steve Atkins shoots to glory at 2024 National Trap Championships

“I’m now 61, and I was shooting the worst I’ve shot since I was about 15,” he said.

“I’d really been in a slump. I hadn’t been shooting well at all, and I just thought I’d have to have a bit of a crack here.

“I wouldn’t say I was surprised (at the results) because I’ve won a lot of the things there over the journey, but at my age it only gets harder.

“I’m about 20 years past my best so that doesn’t help.”

All that apprehension was tossed aside when Atkins took his mark.

He returned from the championships, which ran from March 12 to 17 in Wagga, with a fourth place in the National High Gun category, considered the top prize at the target event.

Atkins also came third in the Champion of Champions event and was awarded the Double Rise Long Break for 2023, recognising the highest-scoring shot for the year in Double Rise, which was 87 straight.

Add all the above to his team’s success with the Echuca outfit, which landed the Allan Brown Club Teams Match Trophy, and it was far from a stray showing by the Tongala native.

Atkins wasn’t the only local to enjoy success either, with several other Echuca Trap Shooting Club members also coming away with outstanding results.

Rhys Eeles’ recent return to shooting continued at an impressive rate, securing second place in the National Double Rise Championship, while Geoff Viney claimed second in the B-grade National Double Rise championships.

Eeles was also a member of the Echuca side that took out the Allan Brown Club Teams Match Trophy, alongside Atkins, David Currie, Andrew Feik and Peter Attard.

But while Atkins is 20 years past his best, according to himself, another shooter from the wider Goulburn Valley region was trigger-happy in the best sense.

Yarrawonga’s James Willett topped the podium in the National High Gun, making it the latest achievement in a glittered career for the Olympic representative.

Both Willett and Atkins were named in the Australian Mackintosh team, alongside Echuca Clay Target Club’s Steve Haberman, as well as the All-Australian team, with the pair acknowledged as being two of the top 10 shooters at the championships.

The Mackintosh team comprises the top 25 shooters from three events — National Double Barrel Championships, National Single Barrel Championships and National Point Score Championships.

Shooters then shoot off with all scores compiled to give the national team its score against other countries in the postal team shoot.

Atkins has been selected for the Mackintosh team 23 times, with only four shooters chosen more times.

Atkins could pass the four with future selection — as all four have died — with two of the four having made the team 24 times.

“To get in that team even once is pretty good, though,’’ Atkins said.

The duo will have vastly different trajectories from now on.

“He (Willett) will prepare himself now to try and get in the Olympics, and me, I’ll just keep plodding along,” Atkins said.

“He’s absolutely world-class; a couple of years ago, he was ranked number one in the world.

“I’m not sure what he is now, but he would definitely be in the top four or five I would think. If he gets a gig for Paris, he’s a big chance.”