Natalie Rooney fires back to take world title

Fairfax NZ

WORLD CHAMPION: Natalie Rooney.

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Studholme clay target shooter Natalie Rooney is again a world champion after taking the Down the Line title in Wales.

The 24-year-old has shown courage to bounce back from her disappointment over her Olympic selection debacle to be crowned the best woman in the world in the discipline.

Rooney, who won the title four years ago in Ireland and was third in South Africa in 2010, has been part of the champion New Zealand team over the past three years.

Over three days of competition, Rooney led throughout to hold her nerve on the final day to beat 52 competitors.

She scored 879 out of 900 to finish three points ahead of an Australian rival at the Mid Wales Shooting Centre in Caersws.

Rooney's younger brother, William, just missed the top-five shootout, finishing sixth in the junior men's section.

Last month Rooney was advised by the New Zealand Olympic Committee she was in the team to shoot the trap and waited patiently for a press statement announcing her success.

That statement never came and in a devastating turn of events, Rooney was dumped after Levin shooter Ryan Taylor successfully appealed to the Sports Tribunal against his exclusion from the New Zealand Olympic team on process. Fairfax NZ

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