YOUNG clay pigeon shooter Jack Fairclough has been selected for the Great Britain and England teams ahead of the European Championships and Home Internationals.
Sixteen-year-old Fairclough, from Bury, was chosen after attending the Great Britain Olympic team selection shoots, which took place between March and May.
After being selected for both the teams, which will include trips to Hungary and Northern Ireland, Fairclough tweeted: “I am delighted to have made the Great Britain Olympic Skeet Team this weekend for the European Championships and the England team for the Olympic Skeet Home International.”
During the selection process he won a bronze medal in the UK Championships in the third shoot.
Upon receiving his call-ups, Fairclough’s coach – two time Olympic Gold medallist Vincent Hancock – showed his appreciation of the youngster’s abilities.
“Jack is so very talented and to achieve a team place already is testament to that talent,” he said.
In the build up to the selection shootings Fairclough made two separate trips to the USA to train with his coach.
On the second visit he was joined in Texas by some of the USA shooting team to give him some guidance.
When he returned to England he shot in the North of England Olympic Skeet Championships and the Lancashire Olympic Skeet Championships.
He won his first competitions of the season clinching the North of England Junior Olympic Skeet title and also winning the Lancashire Senior and Junior Championships.
His mother, Allison Fairclough, could not be any prouder of her son’s progression. “I am so very proud not only of what he has achieved but how he achieved it,” she said.
“He did not let the pressure of the occasion get to him and remained determined to succeed. It was just wonderful to watch.”
Nick Truter, owner of Fairclough’s sponsor Just Choking, is also thrilled to see his competitor coming on leaps and bounds, saying: “I am delighted to sponsor such a promising young shot.”
The Bury shooter is preparing to head to the National Shooting Centre in Bisley to work with the British Shooting Performance Team. He flies out to Hungary with the squad on June 19.
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