SPORT in Pembrokeshire can celebrate another World Champion after Martin Myers returned from Cape Town with the coveted individual gold medal after winning the ICTSF’s English Sporting Gun World Championships in South Africa, writes Bill Carne.

Martin shot superbly over the two days of the competition at the Valley Club as he fended off the challenge of over 150 other crack shots from all around the world to take the title – and completed a terrific double as he also helped England to win the team gold as an added bonus!

He stayed at a golf course resort in Cape Town during his eight days on the trip and after a slow start to the first practice day came fourth in the unofficial charts a day later – and then fired his 100 clays even better on the first official day so that he joined a group of competitors putting pressure on the leader, amongst them talented Pembrokeshire teenager Ben Sutton, who was also taking part.

Thus it was that Martin was just a shot adrift as he lined up for his second 100 clays the next day as one of the early starters at 8.30am, with the final group scheduled for three hours later.

After a slightly nervous start he was soon shooting really well and finished up with a splendid score of 96, no mean feat considering the pressure, and one by one his main rivals fell by the wayside as they found his score too challenging.

And when the final group was finished, Martin found himself four shots ahead of everyone else to secure the highly-coveted title!

The team event featured five competitors per country, with the top four scores to count, and Martin’s success helped England win the team event and so Martin appeared on the winners’ podium twice.

Then Martin’s wife Ruth and daughter Hannah, both great supporters, received their first message of the week to announce his double success – and there followed the long trek home to Letterston with his gold medals – and a deserved place in the pantheons of clay pigeon shooting at the very highest level!