In-depth with Aislin

LAKES POST: It’s great to catch up with local shooter, Aislin Jones, the seven-time Australian champion, as she prepares to depart for the Paris Olympics. Congratulations on your recent selection Aislin, how are you feeling?

AISLIN JONES: It’s pretty exciting. It’s starting to feel a bit real; It’s sort of been in a bit of a whirlwind, packing and getting organised, training in Melbourne and everything else. I’m keen to get on the plane now.

LP: So, what events will you be competing in?

AJ: I’m a skeet shooter and will be taking part in the women’s event and the mixed team pairs.

LP: Skeet and trap shooting are similar, what is the difference?

AJ: To put it simply, trap is shooting at a target that is going away from them in a random direction. So they don’t know if it’s going left or right, but it’s going in the direction away from them. Whereas skeet is coming across in front of you, there’s two targets, we know where our targets are going, but we have a random three second delay for when they come out. Which means it could be straight away or three seconds later. I also shoot gun down which means I start with my gun not on my shoulder. When the target is released, I mount it.

LP: How did you get into clay target shooting?

AJ: I used to go along to the Bairnsdale Field and Game with my dad as a kid when my mum was working. When I was old enough (12), they asked if I wanted to have a go, the rest is history.

LP: Tell me about the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

AJ: It was an amazing experience. I was only 16 years old, I had to take time of school to go. Having watched the London Olympics (2012) on television, I didn’t expect to be at the next one. Olympics were a goal, I just happened to achieve that goal earlier than I’d expected.

LP: Did you attend the opening ceremony?

AJ: Yes, it was unreal. I walked into the stadium right behind the flag bearer, Anna Meares. I also remember sitting on the team bus next to Jess Fox. I’ve got videos of the whole Australian team chanting, “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi”. It was surreal.

LP: How did you shoot?

AJ: I was fortunate that I went in with not a lot of pressure put on me as I was so young and at my first games, so I was able to shoot and enjoy the experience. I finished 17th.

LP: What’s village life like?

AJ: It’s hectic and hard to explain, almost crazy. You have more than the population of Lakes Entrance, in excess of 10,000 people basically living in this mini town. Everybody is fed in a massive dining hall, which was the size of two football fields, with all cuisines covered. There’s like gyms, cafes and hair salons.

LP: Is it all free?

AJ: Yes, it’s amazing how people from all over the world, different walks of life, different sports, all come together and live in one area for this period of time. Security is full on and your identification accreditation is like a passport, you can’t afford to lose it.

LP: Did you meet many famous people?

AJ: You see a few people walking around, but I think the most famous people potentially don’t stay in the village just for their own privacy.

LP: Are you heading straight to Paris when you leave Australia?

AJ: I’m going to Italy first for a training camp with the Australian shooting team, it will give us a chance to acclimatise, get over jet lag, and then fly into Paris.

LP: What have you been doing in the past few weeks before departing?

AJ: Since coming back from the World Cup event in Italy it’s been hectic with training and final preparations.

LP: What does training entail?

AJ: I have been shooting twice a week on the range in Melbourne, running, doing gym and sports psychologist’s sessions, and attending meetings and sessions with my coach (Lauryn Mark) in Melbourne. Around that I have been working at home and have had a few media commitments.

LP: How many running and gym sessions have you been doing?

AJ: I’m running four times a week and doing two gym workouts.

LP: Tell us about your coach?

AJ: Lauryn is an American, who moved to Australia when she 19 to marry Australian shooting champion, Russell Mark. She’s a two-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games gold medallist, who I first met when I was 12. I’ve been working with her for 12 years, half my life. She knows me sometimes better than I know myself, it’s been a really good experience working together and I wouldn’t be where I am without her.

LP: Is she tough?

AJ: When she needs to be, I wouldn’t mess with her. I also need to mention the work that my dad does coaching me as well. I don’t get to see Lauryn all the time, so he’s the one that’s been there for the majority of my training sessions.

LP: To do what you do, you need a big support crew.

AJ: For sure, my parents and partner Jack are an amazing support. As are my sponsors and my employer (Wood Street Windows). Without them I couldn’t do what I do. It will be great to have my loved ones in Paris with me.

LP: Where do you shoot in Melbourne?

AJ: The Melbourne Gun Club which is at Yering in the Yarra Valley. I also use Werribee, Korumburra and of course Bairnsdale.

LP: What’s a training session on the range look like?

AJ: They vary and are structured by my coach. Sometimes I go and shoot like you would in a normal competition. Other times we structure something like three rounds with a target score that I’ve got to achieve for it to be successful. Other days, I might do more drill-based things.

LP: You haven’t always done the target score thing?

AJ: That’s probably something we’ve started incorporating in the last 12 months, just to give a bit of purpose to my training. When you’re training on your own, it’s hard to create that competition pressure, so that’s away of simulating a pressure situation.

LP: What are your expectations for the Paris Olympics?

AJ: I think for me I’m not going go and put a particular placing, or score related target on something like the Olympics. For me personally I have been putting things in place at the last few international competitions, which includes an international personal best. I know I’m implementing things that are working and are heading in the right direction. Success for me at the Olympics will be implementing everything within my control, so I can walk away and be proud of the result, whatever that is.

LP: Are you a better shooter now than in 2016?

AJ: For sure, I will certainly be better prepared, I’ve transformed from a kid to an adult, though I felt I was quite mature for a 16-year-old. I’m still relatively young now and have got another eight years of experience of traveling on the senior team, as well as managing expectations and the learnings of missing out on the Tokyo Olympic team.

LP: Who represented Australia at Tokyo?

AJ: Laura Coles from Western Australia.

LP: She was one of your competitors this time around. Who do you see as the shooters to beat in Paris?

AJ: The Americans and Italians both have a really strong women’s skeet team, but anybody on their day is more than capable of winning it. That’s what you get with the Olympics. It’s a smaller field than a world championships, but you compete against the best of the best. Everyone is lovely and it’s a great environment to be part of. I’ve made a lot of friends on the international circuit, people that I travel and train with overseas. Like a good friend of mine, Amber Rutter, who had a baby in April and will be shooting for Great Britain.

LP: When you qualified in 2016 was the process the same as it was this time around?

AJ: No, it was very different, they never seem to be the same for Olympics, World Championships or Commonwealth Games. They tend to tweak the system every time based on feedback results. This one has been quite complicated, but in saying that it’s very black and white, points based over a number of targets. I think it was probably the best and obviously worked for me. Incorporating international events, as well as a series of domestic events, you get the most consistent shooter in the long run. In 2016 I was selected and it went to appeal. I was too young to really comprehend and get caught up in that, dad handled that, and I shot targets.

LP: Career highlights?

AJ: Making Paris will be an incredible experience. Rio will always be hard to top, because it was my first Olympics, something very cool and special. Recently I won a bronze medal in the World Cup teams event with Josh Bell, which was both our first international medal. I guess that makes you want to go out there and do it again.

LP: Have you ever shot at the Olympic venue?

AJ: No, they didn’t open it up for very many people, that’s why we are flying in on early when my first event isn’t to August 3. The range will be open for practice.

LP: Will you be staying in the village?

AJ: Not the actual village, a satellite village at Chateauroux, a couple of hours from Paris, which is where the shooting events are being staged. It will make life easier and not be as crazy.

LP: Will you be attending the opening ceremony?

AJ: No, they’re not sending any of the shooters to the opening ceremony, just because of the time factors. It’s usually an eight-hour affair, so if you travel in it’s 12 plus hours.

LP: Will you still be there for the closing ceremony?

AJ: I will still be there, but I’m not going to attend, only because I will be running a marathon the night before.

LP: A marathon? Your first?

AJ: Yes, my first, on the Olympic course. The men’s marathon is on the morning of August 10 and the women’s on August 11, a large amateur marathon will take place in between, in the evening. We will get to run past the Eiffel Tower, which will be all lit up.

LP: You have done a half marathon?

AJ: I did the Hallora event which was 24 kilometres. I’m now deep into a 16-week training program.

LP: Is the running and increased fitness good for the shooting.

AJ: For me personally, it has been really positive for my shooting. I like having a goal and I think it’s healthy to have goals outside of shooting to work towards that sort of support each other. It’s great for self belief and confidence.

LP: What time do you think you will run?

AJ: Not sure, first time, on a course that has plenty of hills. I have a lot of respect for the Olympic marathon runners. I’m looking forward to watching the Australian women finish the next day, I will be severely humbled by that point knowing that I have also completed the course. I’m estimating it’s probably going take me between four hours 15 minutes and four and a half hours.

LP: Do you plan to attend any other events?

AJ: I have tickets to the volleyball, which will be held in front of the Eiffel Tower.

LP: That will be impressive. You obviously live a busy life, what do you like to do when you get some spare time?

AJ: I love to run along the rail trail with my labrador.

LP: Nice. Let’s finish up with some quick questions. Favourite food?

AJ: Spaghetti bolognaise.

LP: Speciality dish?

AJ: Chicken parmigiana.

LP: Does pineapple belong on a pizza?

AJ: No.

LP: Go-to pizza?

AJ: Barbecue chicken.