Penny Smith

Biography

Penny Smith started her career in shooting somewhat unexpectedly in 2009, inspired by her brother. She began at Noorat Gun Club in Victoria and quickly rose to prominence, representing Australia at the national level.

As a junior, Penny saw her first major international success with a silver medal at the 2013 Oceania Championships in trap shooting. In 2017, she proved her mettle by clinching her first World Cup gold medal in Delhi, outperforming the 2012 Olympic champion Jessica Rossi. Despite missing out on the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, this only strengthened her resolve, culminating in a prolific year in 2019. Penny secured gold at the Lahti World Cup, earning Australia a quota spot for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and grabbed a mixed trap team bronze at the world championships with Thomas Grice.

In 2020, Penny dominated the Australian selection trials, winning all four nomination events and topping the leaderboard, earning her place on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Team. At the Tokyo Games, she finished sixth in both the women’s trap and mixed trap team events.

Penny's performance in 2022 was exemplary, securing a World Cup gold in the mixed trap event and multiple golds in the women's trap team categories in both Lonato and Cyprus. Continuing her strong form into 2023, she added more accolades, including a World Cup gold in Doha. In early 2024, she equaled the Australian Olympic Trap record with a perfect qualifying score, cementing her place at the top of Shooting Australia's leaderboard.

Outside of shooting, Penny has deep roots in the countryside, where she enjoys riding horses and managing life on the farm. With her mother's history of grooming for an Olympic equestrian, it's clear Penny's competitive spirit and dedication are part of her family legacy.