Willett wins shooting bronze, aiming for third Olympics

Australian shooter James Willett has won World Cup bronze after a tight three-man qualifying battle in Morocco as he aims for his third-successive Olympics.

The 28-year-old from Yarrawonga in Victoria qualified with the equal-top score in the trap round at the shotgun World Cup in Rabat and had to go through a shoot-off to determine the seedings for the final.

While he went into the round with the second seeding, that eventually cost him silver on countback to top-ranked Czech shooter David Kostelecky.

"It was tough all the way and the scores were really close," Willett said.

"I was happy with how I handled the final and just got a little bit quick towards the end and missed a couple (of targets), resulting in my elimination.

"But I am really happy with the end result."

Willett, Kostelecky and Mohammed Al Rumaihi from Qatar had qualified equal-best with a score of 121 from 125 targets.

But Italian Mauro De Filipis, who was the fourth-ranked qualifier, dominated the final to win the gold medal ahead of Kostelecky and Willett.

Willett said he wasn't expecting the shoot-off to decide bib numbers for the final and was pleased to secure the No.2 seed.

"But it ended up costing me the silver medal on countback when tying with David at the bronze medal elimination," he added.

Wilett has competed at the last two Olympics in double trap - no longer a Games event - trap and mixed trap and is yet to win a medal.

Australian Michael Diamond won the men's trap at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, while Adam Vella claimed bronze in 2004.

Suzy Balogh (2004) and Catherine Skinner (2016) have won gold in women's trap.

Willett will return to Australia for the next Olympic nomination event in Sydney from February 16-18.