Chetcuti, widely acclaimed as Malta's brightest shooting prospect, achieved a total score of 189 to clinch third place, only two less than the winner of the gold medal, India's Rajyavardhan Singh (191) and one adrift of Australian shooter Mark Russell (190) who took silver.

In the qualification series, Chetcuti was second with scores of 46, 47 and 48 for a total of 141 before the final barrage. Russell also amassed a total of 141 points going into the final. Singh led the field with 142.

In the best-of-50 clays final, the Maltese kept his cool to smash 48 clays but missed out on a silver medal by just one clay as Russell, a former Olympic champion, and Singh both hit 49.

Chetcuti was three clays ahead of fourth-placed John Bellamy of England and four better off than Richard Faulds, gold medal winner in the same event in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Faulds also won the World Championship in 2000.

"I am over the moon. It's been a very tough competition but I felt confident throughout. I dedicate this bronze medal to my parents, the Malta Olympic Committee and the Malta Shooting Federation.

"The standard of the shooters in the Commonwealth Games is very high... only the Olympic Games come bigger. I am very pleased to have won a bronze medal," Chetcuti told The Times from Bisley. Chetcuti's feat yesterday cements his place in the history of local sport as the second Maltese athlete to win a medal in the Commonwealth Games. Judoka Laurie Pace was the first Maltese on the medal rostrum when she also picked up bronze in 1990.

Salvu Portelli, the Malta Shooting Federation (MSF) president, was full of praise for Chetcuti. "This medal is the reward of a great shoot by William Chetcuti. It's a great achievement for him especially when you take into account the fact that he has beaten renowned shooters like world champion Richard Faulds to win the bronze. William was formidable throughout the entire shoot, especially in the final when he hit 48," a delighted Portelli said.

Chetcuti, 17, has already established himself as Malta's leading double-trap shooter despite his tender age, as his silver medal in the San Marino Games for the Small States of Europe, the silver he obtained in the European Junior Championships in Lonato, a gold medal in the Mediterranean Championships, and now, another prestigious bronze in the Commonwealth Games, amply testify.

Portelli believes that Chetcuti has what it takes to become a world champion in the near future. "Chetcuti is a great prospect. If only we had the financial resources to enable Chetcuti to gain more international experience by competing abroad on a regular basis like the other top shooters do, he would soon be making headlines in the world shooting scene. Notwithstanding our limitations, I am very confident that Chetcuti will become a world champion in the next few years."

According to a Malta Olympic Committee media release, former Olympic champion Russell hailed Chetcuti as the emerging star in double-trap shooting as the two shooters met after yesterday's event.

The Maltese shooting clan will be hoping for another good result today as Paul Vella and Joe Genovese will take part the Skeet Singles' competition. A pool of 28 shooters will be competing in the first round of the event this morning.

Cassar 10th

In weightlifting, Kevin Cassar placed tenth out of 14 competitors in the 77kg category. The Maltese weightlifter managed 107.5kg in the snatch and 132.5kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 240kg.

Wrestler Abraham Vassallo will be in action today in the Elimination Pool of the 84kg freestyle category. Fourteen wrestlers have been registered for this event. Veteran Jesmond Giordimaina will be competing in the 60kg category on the last day of the Games.

Meanwhile, Malta's triathlon contingent headed by coach Andy Colbourn arrived in Manchester yesterday evening. Triathletes Dermot Galea, Manuel Falzon and Maria Mifsud Bonnici will be tackling the triathlon on the last day of competition on Sunday.

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