We have interviewed Éric Delaunay, gold medalist at the 2018 World Skeet Team Championships and representative of French athletics at the next Tokyo Olympics 2020.
What kind of Gemini choke tubes does he use for his performances? Find it out below!
1. How did your passion for clay target shooting begin?
My passion has indeed started since my youngest years as my parents owned an army shop and a small shooting range. To tell the truth I was born with this passion!
2. How did you realize that skeet was your discipline?
My parent's shooting range boasted 1 American trap, 1 skeet and 2 sporting areas, so I could try all of those disciplines, besides listening to my father's advice, who told me, that the best way to learn how to shoot was to try my hand at skeet. He was always telling me if I managed to shot well as for skeet I would be able to reach an excellent outcome in any other discipline. Hence he taught me how to shoot properly on the skeet field and I've never stopped since then.
It was technique, readiness and discipline in one sport ... I loved it right away.
3. What was your most exciting victory?
It was the one in 2011, when I won the European Championships in Belgrade. It was my first medal in my international career. 2011 was a very complicated year for me as in February I underwent a surgical treatment of an aneurysm. It was difficult to get back in shape after such a hard blow.
4. To what extent are the Gemini choke tubes essential for the success of your sporting achievements?
Gemini chokes combined with my Beretta DT11 Black Edition ensure an effective concentration of lead pellets to hit the target, allowing me to achieve my ambitious goals in competitions.
5. What’s their strong point in your opinion?
I believe Gemini chokes are the best option for my Beretta shotgun and my Clever ammunition As said, the combination of these three elements is optimal and results in the best shooting performance I could long for.
6. What advice would you give to a young person approaching this sport?
The first tip is to improve his technical skill, with technique he will be able to hit one target after another. I can explain my second though my favourite proverb “Hard work always pays off”.
7. What about your latest sporting achievements?
Last year (in 2019) I have achieved very good results in 4 international competitions: a 4th place at the World Championships and the European Championships in Lonato, a 2nd at the World Cup in Lahti and a 10th one at the World Cup Final in Al Ain.
8. Would you like to give us some advice to further improve our product?
None... seeing is believing!
9. What about your training for Tokyo?
I am really proud to take part in the Olympic Games. It will be my second presence, I’m working hard every day to fulfil my dream. I'm trying to improve every aspect of my performance (even if it will be in some time): I am perfecting my technical skills on the shooting range, my athletic training in the gym and my mindset with a mentalist.
10. What’s your way to concentrate?
As I said, thanks to a mentalist who follows me personally I am training so as to cope with the stress which will arise during the competition. The core is “mental screen” and breathing.
11. What firearm do you use and what chokes do you choose?
For my DT11 Black Edition shotgun, I use Gemini internal choke tubes, 5 stars (CYL) in my first gauge and 4 stars (IMP CYL) in my second.