Sixteen-year-old Emilia Faulkner is the current UK-ranked number one ladies’ pistol shooter – find out how she kept competing.
How did you get involved in shooting?
I first started pistol shooting through the Pony Club where I competed in Tetrathalon (run, shoot, ride and swim). An accident with my horse while eventing left me unable to compete. During my recovery period, I focused more on shooting and discovered my passion for 10M Precision Pistol.
Which achievements are you proud of?
One of my proudest moments was winning the Scottish Open when I was 13. I was awarded the Wilkinson Sword for shooting the highest final score, beating the adults! I’m proud of becoming GB#1 in 2019 and making my debut with the GB team at the Meyton Cup in Austria and the H&N Cup in Munich.
Have you competed during lockdown?
I have, which has been fantastic! Indian Shooting organised a live International shooting competition. Some of the world’s best shooters were invited to participate.
More than 15 2020 Olympic quota place athletes took part. The competitions are streamed live using Zoom with adjudicators monitoring the athletes and are run under full match conditions, the only difference being it is happening all over the world.
I’m ecstatic to have qualified for both finals, finishing fourth in both. I shot 575, a personal best, and also would also have been a GB record, but unfortunately won’t be counted!
What advice can you give to youngsters getting into the hobby?
It is a wonderful sport to be involved in. There are so many opportunities and shooting has such varied disciplines that there really is something that would suit most people.
Pistol shooting is not too prohibitively expensive to start out. I started with a borrowed pistol in a pair of trainers and a headband with a cut-out blinder made out of a milk bottle!
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