ABOVE: Townsville soldier and Australian Commonwealth Games representative Pte Tim Lowndes displays the gold, silver and bronze medals he won during the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia.

ADCU north Queensland Regional Manager Bruce Scott congratulates Pte Lowndes on receiving a state award from Townsville City Council during the recent annual sport awards.

Bull ... One of Pte Lowndes' targets after practice shows how accurate is his aim.

FOR 1RAR soldier Pte Tim Lowndes, there's only one target in sight - a medal at the upcoming commonwealth games in Manchester.

Fresh from the World Championships in Finland, Australia's leading smallbore shooter will defend his Commonwealth Games title.

Pte Lowndes is an accomplished marksman in three smallbore rifle shooting disciplines - Prone, Three Position (standing, kneeling and prone) and Standing Air Rifle.

PR Officer 1RAR Capt Nic Smith said the entire unit was proud of Pte Lowndes and looked forward to seeing him perform in the Manchester Games.

After training with the Australian Institute of Sport Shooting Program, and at the age of 18, he represented Australia in the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia.

He won gold in his favourite event, the Three Position, won silver in the Three Position Teams event and a bronze in the Prone Teams event.

He again represented Australia in all three disciplines at the Sydney Olympics, where he finished a creditable 19th in the Three Position and 21st in the Prone.

When the AIS Shooting Program closed last year, he decided to follow in his father's footsteps and embarked upon a military career.

While at Singleton on weekend leave, Pte Lowndes successfully contested the NSW State Championships, maintaining his top Australian ranking.

Shortly after joining 1RAR, he was granted leave to contest the Commonwealth Games qualifying trials in November last year. Pte Lowndes had no access to his rifles in the lead-up to the trials, relying soley on mental rehearsal and recently acquired military skills and was rewarded by winning all three disciplines.

In doing so, Pte Lowndes gained consecutive selection in the 2002 Commonwealth Games, again in all three shooting disciplines.

During Easter he contested the National Championships in Brisbane and won the Prone and Three Position titles.

Photos by Cpl Jason Weeding, JPAU(P)
and Cpl Belinda Mepham