Peter Wilson, Dorset’s very own gold-medalist has committed himself to the next Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, in 2016. Wilson grew up on a farm in Dorset with his parents and studied at the Arts University College Bournemouth (AUCB), but since scooping a gold medal at last year’s games, the 26-year old has discovered a whole new world.

The double-trap shooter recently confirmed his intent to travel to Rio de Janeiro and compete in the next Olympics, rather than sit back on his instant success in London last time out. He said: “I’m going to go to the Rio games but I can’t just rock up there, but I would love to build on what I have already achieved.”

He said: “I would say I still spend a lot of time in Dorset. But then again I’m standing here talking to you, stood outside a five-star hotel with meetings all day and for the next couple, too.

“I loved it there (AUCB). My dad said to me that I studied alcohol and partying whilst I was there - but since the Olympics I don’t think I’ve been sober for four months!” laughed the double-trap shooter.

The hustle and bustle of London and the swanky beaches of Dubai now though are home to Wilson more often than not. He said: “It is so different to what I’m used to. It’s quite exciting and luckily a lot of friends and family are in London – it’s a mega hub isn’t it. I love it but it’s miles apart from the farm back in Dorset. I spend a lot of time out in Dubai, probably two to three months with my coach. He’s an incredibly talented man and has transferred information to me in layman’s terms and turned me into an Olympic champion.”

After breathing in, he said: “I’ve not really recovered to be honest, it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride and everyone has said to me you need a bit of time to take it in. I mean, to receive the MBE was just mega. I can’t believe it – it’s just been a crazy six months, I have won an Olympic medal, been on ‘Superstars’ - which was amazing and doing documentaries for television.

“Winning gold was the most amazing feeling ever and to replicate that, I feel that the closest thing to that so far has been live TV, whether it’s superstars or a small documentary for the BBC, where I have done snippets of live television. I presented the ‘whatsonstage’ awards and delivered a speech at the 02 arena, which gives you an idea what it’s like. I know I would relish the challenge.”

Wilson who only began competing in the 2006 was junior champion in Europe within in just six months. Add to that, that he only took up shooting by accident after dislocating his shoulder, forcing him away from his favoured sports at the time - cricket and squash.

He added: “I grew up on a farm and never took it up until I had an accident, so I suppose it’s fair to say it was an accident.”

Wilson received a whole year’s funding from his parents, all of which pushed him towards the London games and that coveted gold-medal. “Shooting isn’t the cheapest sport so it’s never going to be easy given the recession we are in at the moment. I will never forget their help and I’ll never be able to thank them for it. It’s paid off now though I suppose,” said the sharpshooter.

Wilson is appreciative of where he has come from. He used to do night-shifts and relentless bar-work in order to fund his dream, so to label the break following the games as a surprise is probably an understatement.

He said: “I’ve had seven months off – I’ve never had seven days off, it’s just insane. Normally I train between five and six days per week and you have to, and I am always looking outside the box. I’m shooting at 98% consistency at my best but recently I’ve been in talks with a statistician on how I can eek out an extra one or two per cent from my game. It’s a crazy outlook for four years work.”

Wilson was rewarded for his efforts on the Olympic stage, not just with a gold medal but also an MBE from the monarchy.  Still in shock, he admitted: “It’s quite hard to get my head around it, I mean, meeting Prince Charles. It’s just absolutely amazing and I do feel humbled by it and I think one day, the penny will drop about what I have achieved. At the moment though, I’m just on this huge wave of emotion, which is incredible. The ceremony itself was amazing and it ran very well indeed.”

The shooter who prior to the finals at last year’s games had promised to retain his emotions in front of crowds and the watching millions on television, but his celebrations were quite the opposite when he dropped to his knees in tears after realising his success following a brief blip. 

He said: “You think you can keep it all together. It’s not as easy as that. In London, I missed targets and you think you’re about to fall apart. After, to keep it all together on the day and win like I did was special, but I never want to do it that way again.

“For Rio mentally I don’t want to apply any pressure to myself. I’ll do my best to win gold. We’ll wait and see.”

The London games have been slapped the decisive factor in the development of sport across the country, perhaps rightly so in the eyes of Wilson. He commented: “Both the Olympics and the Paralymics have encouraged an uptake in all sports across the board. My sport though, shooting, is just one part of the Olympic puzzle.

“I wouldn’t say I’m a legacy of the event as some people have said to me though. I love this sport but see where it takes me. I’ll take every four years as it comes. I’m still enjoying this moment and the aftermath is still on going, once that calms down maybe it will all be a bit clearer.”

Wilson doesn’t have a master plan or timetable mapped out where he will just rack up Olympic medals for the rest of his life. He enjoys other things too, including drum and bass, R’n’B and classical music.

The shooter, who is dyslexic, recalls staying on in school breaks and lunch-times for extra lessons and further help – but Wilson doesn’t want to be treated any different now following his major Team GB triumph. Asked whether he has changed, he said: “I hope not too much. I like who I am. I didn’t want to be anyone.”

Despite his wishes, Wilson admits that being spotted in the city where this whirlwind trip was kick-started, is quite bizarre. Baffled, he said: “In London on the tube when everyone is focused on themselves, reading the paper or on the way to work, and then you get recognised suddenly, people say ‘oh my god it’s’ – that’s pretty mad. I shoot clay pigeons.

“I think if I won twenty world championships then nobody would know who I am. Even say 100 or 50 championships but winning Gold at an Olympics, in London – there’s a difference. It’s almost like you become part of this elite group, it can change you.”

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