Xavier Russell

Sports Hall of Fame Inductee

The sport of Clay Target Shooting has been popular and enjoyed by shooters at a number of ranges in the Shepparton area for many years. A new name burst onto the clay target scene in recent years and as a junior shooter and has excelled both locally and overseas. In 2014, at 12 years of age Xavier Russel was introduced to Clay target shooting by his grandfather, well-known local shooter Doug Rogers. Xavier commenced competing in the monthly competition and loved the experience. He showed great promise and worked hard to succeed in the different disciplines of Clay Target Shooting. In 2017 he won his first National sub-junior title along with the Sporting Shooters National Junior Championship.

 2018 was a big year for Xavier as he was the overall junior National Champion. He was also the Australian Clay Target Association Junior champion. He won six titles in Australia and New Zealand. Xavier had arrived as a shooter to watch for the future.

His goal was to be selected to shoot for Australia at the World Championships. He achieved that goal in 2019 when he was selected to represent Australia as a member of a three man junior team which toured England in 2019 and he won a bronze medal in the team’s event. He also won bronze at the World English sporting shooters championships, shooting in Ireland.

In 2020 He won two championships in different disciplines in New Zealand and became the Junior Champion at the Australian Sporting Clays Association Grand Prix. He was also 5th overall in the open section.

Xavier was also selected in the Australian team to compete in the 2020 World championships in the United States. However the competition was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Shepparton has produced a true champion as a junior and we look forward to Xavier becoming an open age champion in the future.