Australians Phillip Adams, Ben Sandstrom, and Bruce Quick won medals in shooting competitions at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland. The shooting events required immense skill, concentration, and precision, attracting top marksmen and women from across the Commonwealth.
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The Shooting Range
England won the Shooting medal tally, Australia finishing second with 7 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze medals.
England won only 3 gold medals, however their overall tally for shooting was 17 medals.
Men’s Free Pistol – Jan. 27, 1990 – Phillip Adams from Forbes in NSW and Ben Sandstrom with their Gold and Silver Medals in the Men’s Free Pistol
Shooter Phillip Adams OAM holds the record for the most medals won by a competitor at a Commonwealth Games and has competed in the most games with 5 Games.
Phillip Adams has won 17 medals (7 gold, 8 silver, 2 bronze) at four successive Games (1982, 86, 90, 94).
Pairs 25m Centre Fire Pistol Standing – Jan. 29, 1990 – Australia’s Gold Medallists in the Pairs 25m Centre Fire Pistol Standing, left, Phillip Adams and Bruce Quick.
Bruce is one of just six athletes who have competed in six Commonwealth Games. Alongside his achievements for New Zealand, he participated in the Games held in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, Manchester in 2002, Melbourne in 2006, New Delhi in 2010, and Glasgow in 2014.
Over his illustrious career, he amassed an impressive 14 medals, including 1 gold, 9 silver, and 4 bronze.
Held at the newly constructed Waitemata Gun Club, these events tested the competitors’ accuracy and composure under pressure, as they aimed for gold in a variety of disciplines including rifle, pistol, and shotgun shooting.
In the rifle events, shooters needed to demonstrate exceptional control and precision, often over distances of 50 meters or more. The competition was fierce, with athletes from countries like England, Australia, and Canada vying for the top spots.
The rifle events were a true test of endurance and focus, as competitors had to maintain their composure over multiple rounds to achieve the best possible scores.
Pistol shooting brought a different set of challenges, with athletes required to shoot rapidly and accurately at closer ranges. The rapid-fire pistol event was particularly thrilling, as shooters had to hit their targets in a matter of seconds. This event highlighted the competitors’ ability to remain calm under pressure, with the slightest deviation from the target costing valuable points.
In the shotgun events, the focus was on speed and accuracy as shooters aimed to hit clay targets launched into the air at high speeds. The trap and skeet competitions were among the most visually exciting events in the shooting program, drawing large crowds of spectators. The ability to anticipate the trajectory of the targets and shoot with split-second timing was crucial for success in these events.
Photos, Stories and Pages in this feature series:
The Ceremony | The Pool | The Track & Field | Jason Statham diving | The Green | The Range | The Ring | The Velodrome | The Picture Editor’s Desk
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