Marksman Matthew's Commonwealth joy

LARNE'S Commonwealth Games hero Matthew Hall this week said it "felt amazing" to win a bronze medal at the Delhi event.

The 20-year-old underlined his potential and did the town proud when he finished third in the men's 50m rifle prone singles final.

The East Antrim Rifle and Pistol Club member finished with 694.1 points doing enough for a place on the rostrum despite tough competition from England's Mike Babb. Scotland's Jonathan Hammond won the event with a total of 696.9 points while current World Champion, Australian Warren Potent, picked up the silver medal.

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"It felt amazing when I won the bronze," Hall told the Larne Times. "It was so close and the final could have went either way. I think there was only two points between first and eighth place. The world champion finished with a silver so I was happy enough to be beaten by him.

"The previous day myself and Gary (Duff) tied for bronze in the team event but we were beaten on the countback.

We were pretty gutted but it made me even more determined for the individual match."

Hall's bronze is the highest Northern Ireland has ever finished in the 50 metre prone rifle event. He was also the youngest competitor in his category - an achievement the modest student described as "pretty cool".

Read the full story in this week's Larne Times

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