Australian marksman under fire from wife

BEIJING (Reuters) - While most athletes travel to the Olympics with the blessings of their proud families, Australian shooter Russell Mark is suddenly under fire from his wife after breaking a promise to look after their children.

Mark thought he had no hope of making the Australian team for Beijing so promised his wife Lauryn, who is also an accomplished international shooter, he would look after their kids if she made the squad.

However, when Mark sneaked on to the squad and his wife missed out by one point, the situations were suddenly reversed, triggering a friendly domestic feud.

"We haven't spoken about the Olympics much in our house for the last few weeks," Mark jokingly told a news conference on Tuesday. "In fact, my wife thinks I've just gone out to get some milk and I'll be back in a minute."

Mark, 44, is competing at his fifth and possibly final Olympics and hoping to crown his career with a second gold medal.

He won gold in the double trap at Atlanta in 1996 then silver in Sydney four years later but missed out on selection for Athens, where Lauryn finished fourth in the skeet competition.

"I suppose after I left Sydney that was the end of the road but there was something untouched from Sydney, something unfinished. I didn't really want to finish with a silver medal," he said.

"It's been a hard road back because I've missed the competition side of things but the last month I've shot several scores which, if I can do it here on Tuesday week, I'll get a medal, maybe even a gold one."

The shooting competition begins on August 9, with the double trap on August 12.

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)