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Aussie shooter Evglevski 19th in qualifier

Rob ForsaithAAP
Australia's Sergei Evglevski is 19th after the Tokyo 25m rapid fire pistol opening round.
Camera IconAustralia's Sergei Evglevski is 19th after the Tokyo 25m rapid fire pistol opening round. Credit: AP

Australian Sergei Evglevski admits nerves took over at the start of his first Olympics, having finished 19th in the opening qualification stage of the men's 25-metre rapid fire pistol in Tokyo.

Evglevski, who has a chance to replicate the success of his mother and six-time Olympian Lalita Yauhleuskaya by reaching the six-shooter final, will return to the Asaka range for the second half of qualifying on Monday.

Evglevski scored 285 on Sunday, leaving him eight points behind sixth-placed Pakistani Ghulam Mustafa Bashir.

"As soon as I got to the line, the nerves just took over me for a bit. I'll know not to do that for tomorrow," the 23-year-old said.

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"I was focused too much on my nerves ... my heart rate was just racing and it was a lot harder than I expected.

"It's 50 million times bigger (than other competitions). It's just huge compared to anything else."

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Evglevski secured a silver medal in the same event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, when his mum was also part of Australia's shooting team.

The Victorian's father Sergei Evglevski Snr is also no stranger to the sport, having twice acted as the Australian Olympic team gunsmith.

Yauhleuskaya represented Australia at the 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics, while she grabbed bronze at Sydney 2000 and competed at Atlanta 1996 while shooting for Belarus.

"I prefer to create my own footsteps instead of following hers but, in saying that, she's a huge inspiration and without her I wouldn't be here," Evglevski said.

Australia are searching for their first shooting medal of these Games, with the best result so far being Laetisha Scanlan's fourth place in the women's trap final.

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