William Chetcuti and Nathan Lee Xuereb finished 13th and 15th respectively at an ISSF double trap World Cup shoot in Rio de Janeiro, with only one point separating the two Maltese shooters.
Chetcuti hit 26-29-26-27-26 for a total score of 134/150 while Xuereb managed 27-27-26-27-26 for a total of 133 points.
James Willet, of Australia, won the gold medal after scoring 138 points in the qualifying round, 27/30 in the semi-final and 27/30 in the decisive match.
Willet beat Russia’s Vasily Mosin in a shoot-off after the latter also targeted 27 clays in the gold medal match.
Walton Eller, of the United States, was third (137/150, 25/30+ 4 and 28/30) while Italian shooter Antonio Barilla missed out on bronze after finishing fourth.
Jimmy Bugeja, the national double trap coach, assisted Chetcuti and Xuereb during their participation in the Rio shoot.