Jake targets representing his country at the Olympic Games

The teenager, who has been shooting since the age of nine after being bought a lesson by his granddad, began shooting every weekend at his local clubs, Dunstable & District and Stewkley.

He then went to the Schools Challenge Academy in Oakley, run by David Florent, where he trained and competed for his school and Bedfordshire in inter county competitions.

The 19-year-old was accepted on the British Shooting Target Tokyo programme for Double Trap, based at Beverley Clay Target Centre in Hull, where he was coached by John Bellamy.

However, last year saw the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) drop Double Trap from the Olympic programme.

That saw Jake begin training at both Olympic Trap as well as Double Trap, going on to gain experience of international training camps and competitions at junior level in Malaga, Suhl and in Baku, Azerbaijan, which hosted the 2017 European Championships.

There he competed in his last Double Trap competition, which ended with him being part of the gold medal winning Junior Double Trap team.

Following the transition to Olympic Trap, within six months he was selected to represent Great Britain on the Junior Olympic Trap team internationally in the ISSF 2017 Junior World Cup in Porpetto, Italy.

He then continued with his Olympic Trap training most of which is based at Nuthampstead Shooting Ground in Royston.

Towards the end of 2017, he was awarded a place to shoot Olympic Trap in the first ever British Shooting Shotgun Grand Final in Wrexham.

Jake won gold in the Junior Olympic Trap competition and qualified for the Men’s Olympic Trap Senior final competing alongside 2000 Olympic silver medal winner Ian Peel and 2017 World Cup bronze winning medallist Aaron Heading.

There, he finished fifth overall, but was described by British Shooting’s Alex Ballard as ‘one of the most promising young British shooters around.’

Jake, who is sponsored by Direct Pallets, Erith Construction, Ladbrook & Langton Gun Smiths, Aspect Electrical and Briggs Builders, is currently is in a winter training program at Nuthampstead preparing for the 2018 Olympic Trap competition season.

Janes said: “Most importantly I would like thank my mum and dad for their ongoing support and contributions towards the costs of my training, competitions, travel and equipment.

“As a college student and apprentice electrician, I would never be able to continue without them.”

Janes is looking for additional sponsorship and would welcome support from anyone who would like to help him pursue his Olympic dream.

If interested, contact Jake on [email protected].