Shooting trailblazer Matt Coward-Holley is confident he can etch his name further into the history books in Tokyo this summer following his selection in Team GB’s Olympic squad.

The 26-year-old became Great Britain’s first Trap world champion in 2019 and will compete in the same discipline during his maiden Games.

Coward-Holley is one of four shooters who have had their Team GB places confirmed and the Chelmsford ace is targeting a podium place in Japan.

“I have the outright goal of winning the Olympics but the first challenge is securing your place,” said Coward-Holley, who is hoping to add to the 864 Olympic and Paralympic medals won by British athletes since National Lottery funding started in 1997.

“Now the hard work can begin with fine-tuning everything to give myself the opportunity to get on that podium, which would mean everything.

“I was peaking at the right time last year but I have full confidence I can put everything in place to peak again – 100 per cent.”

A talented rugby player as a teenager, Coward-Holley’s sporting journey could have been very different had he not twice broken his back – both during county trials.

Returning to shooting, a sport he had first tried aged eight, helped him on the road to recovery and having successfully switched disciplines – Coward-Holley was a reserve for Rio 2016 in the Double Trap, no longer an Olympic event – he is counting down the days until Tokyo.

“I got back into shooting as I was missing competitive sport and it was something I could do with my injuries,” he said.

“I never expected to take it as far as I have done but when I got into the GB Double Trap team quite quickly, I thought ‘this could lead somewhere’.

Coward-Holley is one of over 1,100 elite athletes on UK Sport’s World Class Programme, powered by The National Lottery, allowing him to train full time, have access to the world’s best coaches and benefit from pioneering technology, science and medical support.

“Being UK Sport funded, as I have been since 2017, has made the biggest difference. The support from The National Lottery and the national governing body allows you to commit your whole time to it.

“It’s a dream to get to an Olympics. It’s the pinnacle of sport and I can’t wait.”

No one does more to support our Olympic and Paralympic athletes than National Lottery players, who raise around £30 million each week for good causes. Discover the positive impact playing the National Lottery has on sport at www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk and get involved by using the hashtags: #TNLAthletes #TracktoTokyo