When it comes to antonyms for the phrase "shoots ahead of," there are several possibilities depending on the context. If you're talking about a race, some antonyms might include "falls behind," "trails," or "lags." In a business or competitive sense, antonyms could be "loses ground," "falls back," or "trails behind." Alternatively, if talking about personal achievements, antonyms might include "doesn't quite reach," "fails to surpass," or "comes up short." No matter the specific situation, there are always contrasting phrases that can be used to express the opposite of "shooting ahead.