SHOOTER Alex Hoberg got into the sport by accident.

Fast-forward four years, Alex, now 16, is coming off a fourth-place finish in the 10m air rifle at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

“I did a bit of archery and that led into a bit of hunting with bows,” the Marryatville High Year 11 student says.

“Where we were going, there were pigs and stuff, so Dad thought he’d buy a gun.

“We went down to the range and the person behind the counter asked me if I wanted to give it a go, so I did.

“The assistant national (shooting) coach was there and … said she’d be able to coach me and that I’d be able to aim for the 2020 Olympics.”

The Wingfield Rifle Club member was cruelly eliminated on the Gold Coast in a shoot-off with Indian rival Ravi Kumar after the two drew in the third-last elimination stage on a score of 204.6.

“It was a little bit disappointing to come fourth,” Alex says.

“I was winning the whole way through for the first 15 shots, then right at the end, I dropped one shot that was not so good and then I ended up in a shoot-off.

“I missed out on a medal by 0.2, which in shooting terms is nothing.

“For me, I went in there full of energy – and I think I’ve got even more energy now and more motivation.”

Alex says coming fourth has “kind of fuelled the fire” to keep going.

He now has his sights set on the Summer Youth Olympics in Argentina this October.

His long-term goal is the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.