The Menzies College student won the open and junior categories, taking home the competition’s overall gold high gun award.
The 17-year-old has only been skeet shooting for about four years and in an interview with the Australian Clay Target Association he said his win was due to support from his family, friends, coaches and a little bit of his own skill.
He said it was a "privilege" to be able to come out and shoot in Western Australia and said he had a real love for the sport.
Mr Smith told the interviewer he had taken two weeks off school to attend the championship and that winning the titles had made it all worth it.
The year 13 pupil registered a total score of 440 out of 450 which gave him an accuracy rate of 97.78%, up from his 96% rate recorded late last year.
It was good enough to beat out all other shooters at the championships.
These scores were the highest in the competition, winning him the gold high gun badge, alongside several other sashes and accolades.
He is believed to the first person from Otago-Southland to win the high gun award, and only the fourth from New Zealand to bag the high gun badge.
The teen said it was lucky his father had plenty of room in his suitcase for the memorabilia.
A member of the Mataura Gun Club, the shooter told The Ensign last year that he grew up around guns, living on a farm.
He said his grandfather was also a skeet shooter, which made it easy for him to get out and practise shooting.
The teen will return to school life after the holidays with a national title under his belt. — APL
