EMILY Pascoe from Yelverton was crowned English Open 25 metre (air) sport pistol champion at the Lord Roberts Centre in Bisley at the weekend – the youngest ever winner.

The 14 year-old had the trophy presented by three past champions, who have represented England and Great Britain at the highest international level.

Emily, who has only recently started shooting both 25 metre (air) sport pistol and 25 metre standard pistol has in the past gained both county and national honours at 10 metre precision.

This weekend’s competition in Bisley (Surrey) was the English Smallbore Shooting Union (ESSU) Championships and brought together the best pistol and rifle shooters from all over the UK to compete in various disciplines.

Unlike many sports, there are only two age categories at this level, Under 21 and an open class which is open at all regardless of age. Emily competed in both U21 and open ladies and was victorious in both recording personal best scores in both the precision and rapid fire stages.

To put Emily’s achievement in context of what she has to shoot, it is like shooting a target the size of a £2 coin from one end of a 25 metre swimming pool to the other repeatedly and only have the coin visible for three seconds.

England’s head coach Margaret Thomas, the first winner of the open sport pistol trophy, an Olympian and Commonwealth Games silver medallist, said: ‘I have been coaching Emily for three years and I have been amazed by her enthusiasm, work ethic and, therefore, results. She is a very popular member of the England Academy and I truly believe that she is one of our rising stars, with the ability to compete for

Emily trains with her sister Phoebe at Budleigh Farm Shooting club in Moretonhampstead as part of the junior programme, the British Shooting Pistol Squad and the England Academy in Bisley.

Despite this weeks’ success Emily is back training in preparation for the British Pistol Club Championships in June, the NRA Imperial meeting in July, the Junior International meeting in August as well as the British Shooting Schools’ Championships in November.