© ISSF
If you want a spot on an Olympic podium you’ve got to fight for it. You’ve got to be competitive and dedicated to the cause. That’s the attitude of Matthew Coward-Holley, one that’s sure to see Britain’s only OT World Champion take his place as an Olympic gold medallist.
Matthew has been fighting for his place on the podium since before he’d even left primary school, though not always as the devastating trap shooter he’s known as today. “I started shooting Sporting with my father when I was about 8 years old,” says Matthew. “I shot for a fair few years before stopping to pursue a career playing rugby. Unfortunately, I picked up a number of severe injuries fairly early on in my rugby career that left me unable to play.”
Thankfully rugby’s loss was shooting gain, as Matthew struggled to stay on the sofa for too long. “The competitive bug had bitten by this point,” he explains. “Shooting seemed like the perfect way to scratch that itch, plus it was something I could do without aggravating my rugby injuries. So, I started shooting DTL competitively.”