Olympic shooter Chloe Tipple. Photo: Facebook / Chloe Tipple
Shooting athletes Chloe Tipple and Owen Robinson have been named in the New Zealand team for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
For skeet shooter Tipple, Paris will be her third Olympic Games following Rio and Tokyo, while trap shooter Robinson will make his Games debut.
"It never gets old, my goodness I'm fighting back the tears. It's such a joyous moment," Tipple said.
"I've got an amazing village behind me so I'm forever grateful to my family and to my Dad ...it's a huge honour to represent the sport that I love, my family and New Zealand."
Tipple and her father David, who has coached her for several years, have travelled the world together competing as various events.
The 32-year-old said she had matured as an athlete after attending two Olympics.
"I think in your first Olympics there's a lot of noise about what you should be doing. Over three Olympic cycles what you learn is what serves you rather than what you should be doing. I think we've really refined that and I'm so excited to expand that maturity and really explore that in this games."
Does Tipple believe she could bring home a medal?
"It's who can pull it out on the day so 100 percent both Owen and I are very competitive and I think that it's whoever can perform on the day."
Shooting has flown under the radar since Natalie Rooney won a silver medal at the Olympic Games in Rio and Tipple said she loved any opportunity to put shooting in a positive light on the world stage.
"Shooting as a whole can get a pretty bad rap considering it's related to guns. So I think the greatest privilege for me personally with representing the sport is bringing a positive shining light to it. We both have so much passion and love for [shooting] so I just love any opportunity."
Robinson said it had been a long journey to finally be selected for an Olympics.
"I've qualified for the last two or three Olympics but just haven't quite gained that quota spot ...gaining that spot is very difficult," Robinson said.
"It's been such a long journey to make this happen ...I've been trying to make the Olympic team for 12-years and I've been so close to making it previously but just missed out. For it to finally be happening is pretty special."
Waikato based Robinson credits his family for helping him to make his first Olympic team. "My old man and my wife have been extremely supportive so I can't thank them enough.
"We've got three daughters under five so it's been a busy time. My first day of Olympic competition is on the day my twin girls turn two so hopefully that's good luck!"
2024 has also been a big year for Tipple. She's juggled Olympic qualification with a wedding to her partner.
"It's been crazy, I'm also meant to be moving house which I've actually delayed. It's been a lot but I'm so happy to be here. This season has been all about balance!" said Tipple.
"The fact that I get to represent New Zealand on the world stage is so surreal. If you could tell 15-year-old Chloe that she'd be going to her third Olympics she wouldn't believe you."
Robinson and Tipple head to Italy next week for competition and training ahead of the Olympic Games.
The Paris 2024 shooting competition will be held at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre (250km south of Paris). The selections are conditional on confirmation of an Olympic quota place.