By Chandra L. McLean
South Carolina Bureau
Article dated Jan. 20, 1996

AIKEN - Part of the Italian Olympic shooting team has decided to train in Florida instead of the South Carolina Outdoor Shooting Center in Windsor.

Tom Nadolski, chairman of the Aiken Olympic Training Coordination Committee, said Friday that the Italian trap shooting team has decided to train in Miami. Its skeet team, however, will train at the Windsor center in April and return in June and July.

``That's nothing discouraging to Aiken whatsoever,'' Mr. Nadolski said. ``The team was looking for a place that's quiet, but most of the fellas on the trap team come from big cities like Milan or Rome. They decided they would like to be in a big city rather than a small town.''

The Italian squad, ranked No. 1 in the world, is one of two Olympic shooting teams scheduled to train at the center this year.

The British trap team, ranked second in the world, is slated to arrive April 14.

Although the center has lost a shooting team, it will gain a set of Italian clay target machines, identical to those that will be used in the Olympics, Mr. Nadolski said.

``The Italians want to train here on the same machines they will use in Atlanta,'' he said. ``All indications are that after the Olympics they will leave them here.''

The machines, called Matterellis, will be installed at the center in early February.

``What a nice gift,'' said Rick Sherman, the center's owner. ``Not only to be able to have one of the top teams in the world, but for them to offer a gift like that to you is great.''

Mr. Sherman said he was a little disappointed when the trap team decided to go to Miami, but he realized they were interested in a bigger city.

Mr. Sherman is now putting together publicity packets, with the help of the Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce, inviting 30 countries with shooting teams that have qualified for the Olympics to train at the center. The packets will highlight attractions in Aiken, as well as what the shooting center has to offer.