The six-time Olympian grew up in Ballarat, cutting his teeth as a clay target shooting with Sebastopol Gun Club.

He claimed gold in the double trap at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.

Mark, 55, entered the sport almost by accident as a 14-year-old after suffering a football injury.

"I hurt my ankle at footy training and one weekend had to turn up and watch the guys play at Sebastopol because I couldn't play and behind me there was a guy shooting clay targets," he said.

"My dad had shot a lot of clay targets and said why dont you have a shot during half time."

The shooting range was at the back of the Marty Busch Reserve next to the football grounds.

"I went home that night and said I wouldn't mind having a shot, I'm pretty good at this and it started by accident," Mark said.

"I went back and played footy and cricket and never shot for Australia as a junior because I went to university," he said.

"I never really got involved in it until 1986 when I tried out for the Commonwealth Games team, missed out, but then made the next handful of Olympics and ended up going to six.

The lure of it being an Olympic sport, I have no doubt saying thats what got me interested in it."

Mark credits his father Brian, who died in 2009, with his success.

"My father gave me the opportunities. Brian was very keen to make sure I had an education before I followed my sporting goals and made sure I got a diploma in studies at RMIT and got all the boxes ticked away.

"He then really gave me the opportunity to then try and become an Olympic medallist," he said.

Mark said the inclusion among Australia's sporting elite is something he would never take for granted.

"It's not something when you start your sporting career you say your ambition and goal is to be inducted into the sports hall of fame.

"Sometimes once it happens it makes you look back and reflect.," he said.

Mark, who will be inducted at the 35th Sport Australia Hall of Fame Induction and Awards gala dinner at Crown on Thursday, October 10, attended 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

He also shot in six Commonwealth Games and 22 wold championships.

Mark was a silver medallist in Sydney and gold medallist at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games. He was also a dual world individual champion (1994, 1997) and dual world team champion (1998 and 1999).

Mark is just the fourth shooter to be inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, joining the late Percy Pavey (1985), Donald Mackintosh (1987) and Judith Trim (1999)

Mark says he is thrilled to join them all, Mackintosh in particular, who was never listed as an Olympic medallist during his lifetime, but in 1987 was declared the gold and bronze medallist from the 1900 Paris Olympics.

"Id love to be always associated with Donald Mackintosh.

"Obviously, I've never met him, but his exploits in the sport, there's perpetual trophies left right and centre after Donald Mackintosh's name. He put the sport on the map and when you get your name associated with people like that you cant be anything but proud," Mark said.

Hall of fame selection committee chairman Rob de Castella said Russell's domination in his sport was without peer.

"Olympics, world championships, world cups both individual and teams, he's done it all, and done it again and again at the highest level for nearly a 25-year period. Just incredible."