Gold and Silver for Olivia and Richard in Wales

Rugeley members Olivia Beech and Richard Hemingway claimed medals at the weekend competing in the Welsh 50Metre Championships at Tondu Target Shooting Club in South Wales.

Shooting in the Welsh Confined Prone Championship on Sunday 22nd June, Richard took second, following friend of Rugeley Liam Webster who became Welsh Confined 50Metre Champion for the first time.

The afternoon saw the wind pick up in time for the Three-Position match where Olivia was pitted against a number of GB Pathway athletes. Maintaining a steady shoot in difficult conditions, Olivia finished with a score of 564, edging out Alun Evans on 562 and Louis Norman on 558.

Full Results

GB Selection for Olivia

Whilst all eyes were on GB’s shooters at the Paris Olympics, Rugeley Rifle Club member Olivia Beech has been representing Great Britain at the Nordic Championships in Denmark.

Shooting in the Mixed Team and Women’s 50Metre Three Position rifle events, Olivia placed 18th individually, and 16th in the Mixed Pairs with teammate Louis Norman.

The Nordic Championships were first run in 1922 with the aim of providing Nordic target shooters with the best preparation for competing at the World Championships and Olympic Games. Great Britain applied to join the Nordic Shooting Region in 1971, receiving approval in 1973. With the launch of the UIT (ISSF) World Cup series as a means to distribute Olympic Quota Places, the significance of the Nordic Championships declined through the 1980s as the World Cups took precedence for top shooter’s competition calendars and financial resources. In 1992 it was agreed to refocus the event as a biennial Junior Championship to prepare development athletes for the senior World Cup series with seniors only included sporadically.

A young woman aims a precision target rifle from the kneeling position
Olivia trains in kneeling position. Credit: Shannon Davies