Armadale trap shooter Sharon Niven is hoping to ease her Glasgow 2014 heartache by qualifying for next year’s Commonwealth Games.
The 41-year-old missed out on a spot in her home Games three years ago by just one third of a clay on her average score.
And she says she’s determined to use that pain to motivate her to be part of the Scotland team in Australia in 2018.
Sharon needs two scores of 67 out of 75 clays at qualifying events between January and October this year, and could achieve that goal as early as this weekend when she competes in a Grand Prix event in England.
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She commented: “It would be a huge honour to compete for my country at the Commonwealth Games. I missed Glasgow by one third of a clay and I was desperate to make that. We appealed the decision but were rejected.
“I was pretty heartbroken at the time and it took me a wee while to get over that but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
“I will be there in Australia. I’m completely determined and convinced that I’ll be there.
“It’s all I want to do and I spend all the time I can training and improving to make that goal.”
She added: “I’ve been shooting really well recently. I grabbed a silver medal at an event in Cyprus and the woman who beat me is an Olympic champion and she only beat me by one target.
“I’ve got a new coach, Marco Micheli, and he’s been terrific for me and really taken me to a new level. He’s really doing wonders.”
Sharon first started shooting at 19 and has since grabbed several trophies across different disciplines, but is determined to reach the top in trap shooting and is now part of sportscotland’s Institute of Sport.
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But despite her success in her chosen sport, she has to fund large parts of her own career. She commented: “A lot of it is all off my own back and my work, Dimension Data, have been brilliant with me in allowing me time off to go and compete in all these tournaments.
“Not everything is funded. I’m going to Belgrade later this year and that will cost me about a grand but I’m doing it because I love it and want to compete for my country – not to make loads of money.”
If you would like to help Sharon reach her goal of competing for Scotland in the Commonwealth Games, you can make a donation www.gofundme.com/sharon-niven-giving-it-a-shot.
