The former Commonwealth Games gold medallist picked up a rifle for the first time this year last weekend and promptly went on to win the Grand Aggregate at the Bisley Easter meeting.
Mallett, (40), said: ‘I’ve done nothing at all because it’s been so cold.
Bisley was an ideal start for the season and ten rounds at a 1,000 yards on Saturday morning was my first shoot of the year.
‘If anyone had offered me a top-five finish I’d have snapped their hand off.
To win was fantastic and it was exceedingly close.
‘I won by just three v-bulls from Great Britain shooter Ross McQuillan.
It’s the best I’ve ever done in the Easter meet and on the final day I shot like a spanner! ‘It’s a great confidence booster for the forthcoming season.’ Mallett was overlooked for the recent Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
He added: ‘It was disappointing not to go but it’s down to the selectors.
They chose their two and if they’d have come back with gold and silver everyone would have been delighted.
‘It’s behind me now and I believe it’s they way you react after a disappointment that counts – and winning at Bisley is a great start to the season for me.’ Mallett scored 544.71 from his ten cards, shot over 300, 500, 600, 900 and 1,000 yard distances.
Other Jersey shooters who competed were Bruce Horwood, Mary Norman, Peter Stock, Alex Langley, Cliff Mallett and Daniel Richardson.
Horwood finished with a maximum 150 in competition one over 300 and 600 yards before then sinking all 21 shots into the bullseye in the Queen’s I for a maximum 105.
Richardson finished on 104.
In Queen’s II, (2 and 10 at 300, 500 and 600 yards), resulted in Stock winning with an excellent score of 50 with nine v-bulls.
Stock continued his form at 500 and 600 to win competition three with a maximum 150.
Horwood led the 110 field by one point on aggregate going into the long range events.
Richardson excelled with 75 and nine v-bulls to finish third at 900 yards.
Langley, a former Island champion, finished second overall in the 1,000 with an outstanding 72.6.
Mallett stole the show putting in a 70 and combined with his 73 in the 900 he edged to victory by just three v-bulls.
