Long Buckby rifle master gives GB Paralympians his best shot in Tokyo

Mike was a full-time professional athlete for seven years prior to his career as a rifle coach and taking up a role with Amazon in Daventry.

He travelled abroad in the summer to share his skill with other athletes.

Mike competed internationally during his shooting career, winning gold and silver medals at both the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games. He also competed for the Team GB shooting team in both the Sydney and Athens Olympics in 2000 and 2004, narrowly missing out on a place on the podium in both competitions.

Since retiring from his shooting career, Mike has worked as a rifle coach for shooting enthusiasts across the UK, leading to his appointment as head rifle coach at British Shooting in 2017. Since the role was part-time, Mike also took up a part-time role at Amazon in 2020, as the shift patterns allowed him to work and continue his passion for shooting.

In August 2021, Mike was awarded an Amazon Community Badge to recognise his dedication to British Shooting and community coaching.

Mike said: “It’s was an honour to coach the GB Paralympic shooting team this year and to accompany them to Tokyo.

“Each athlete trained incredibly hard and should be so proud of themselves for making the squad. I am hugely grateful to my Amazon colleagues for the support they showed me in the lead up to the Paralympics, and for cheering us on at home during the competition.”