Mike Collings Explained

Mike Collings
Birth Name:Michael John Collings
Birth Date:29 September 1954
Birth Place:Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Height:1.76 m
Spouse:Diane Collings
Country:New Zealand
Sport:Shooting
Club:Te Puke Rifle Club
Nationals:Ballinger Belt winner (1998, 2021, 2022, 2024)
Show-Medals:yes

Michael John Collings (born 29 September 1954)[1] is a sport shooter from New Zealand.

At the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester he was 21st in the full bore rifle open singles and seventh in the full bore rifle open pairs.[2]

At the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi he won a gold medal in the full bore rifle open pairs with John Snowden.[3] He also competed in the full bore rifle open singles, finishing fourth.[2]

Collings won the Ballinger Belt at the 1998 New Zealand rifle shooting championships. In 2009 he finished second and was top New Zealander.[4] He won back-to-back Ballinger Belts in 2021 and 2022, becoming the first person in the history of the event, dating back to 1873, to successfully defend the trophy.[5] He won the Ballinger Belt again in 2024.[6]

Collings is married to fellow sport shooter Diane Collings.[7] His father, Dennis Collings, won the Ballinger Belt in 1977, and his brother, Ross Collings, did the same in 1993.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mike Collings profile . 2014 . Glasgow 2014 . 27 August 2014.
  2. Web site: Mike Collings . 2013 . New Zealand Olympic Committee . 18 April 2014.
  3. News: Commonwealth Games: shooter offers thanks to brother after gold medal . 14 October 2010 . Otago Daily Times . 18 April 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140419012145/http://www.odt.co.nz/131723/snowden-offers-thanks-brother-after-gold-medal . 19 April 2014 .
  4. Web site: New Zealand champion shot / Ballinger Belt winners . National Rifle Association of New Zealand . 18 April 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150125012900/http://www.nranz.com/competitions/ballinger_belt . 25 January 2015 .
  5. News: Mike Collings makes history with back-to-back Ballinger Belt wins . 15 January 2022 . . 15 January 2022.
  6. Web site: Awards for 2024 Kings Matches . 35 . 13 January 2024 . National Rifle Association of New Zealand . 19 January 2024.
  7. News: Collings destined to be on target . 15 January 2009 . Dominion Post . 18 April 2014.