A Colkirk teenager is looking forward to spending August in Canada after being selected for a British rifle shooting squad.Ed Johnson, 17, will tour the Commonwealth country as an 'Atheling' - a member of the GB under-19 fullbore (7.
A Colkirk teenager is looking forward to spending August in Canada after being selected for a British rifle shooting squad.
Ed Johnson, 17, will tour the Commonwealth country as an 'Atheling' - a member of the GB under-19 fullbore (7.62mm calibre) rifle team.
Though only in the sport for 3½ years, Johnson has already built up an impressive CV. A member of the rifle club at Gresham's School in Holt, Johnson led a successful tour by them of Jamaica and Trinidad in Easter 2007. On returning, he followed that up by becoming the top cadet in the English fullbore championships at Bisley.
A good run of scores in the Imperial Meeting at the same location was recognised by selection as a coach for the UK cadets side in the Inter Services long range match, fired at 900 and 1000 yards.
From there, he was selected for the UK Cadets team that visited the Channel Islands in August, where under Johnson's captaincy they won their team matches. Subsequently, he has been appointed fullbore captain of his club.
As well as shooting for Norfolk's fullbore county team, Johnson is also in their smallbore (.22) side. Using that calibre of rifle he became the British Schools U15 champion in 2006, and was picked for the England B team in the Schools Home Internationals.
Johnson's latest achievement was shooting as a member of the British Schools side in a smallbore postal international against the New Zealand Schools.
He is currently studying for AS Levels in computing, maths, electronics and physics - balancing all the science with performing arts as a chorister and trumpeter.
Johnson's stint with the Athelings starts at the Imperial Meeting at Bisley this summer, when they shoot against their Canadian counterparts in the AG Bell match and the first leg of the Rex Goddard event.
The four-week tour takes in sightseeing and outward bound activities as well as the fortnight at Connaught Ranges in Ottawa for the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association annual meeting.
There, the Athelings will participate in individual competitions and finish off the Rex Goddard match.
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