New National Centre for Bisley
SubscribeShelly Beresford 13 August 2001
THE NEW National Shooting Centre at Bisley in Surrey, which will stage the shooting competition at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, was officially opened on Friday (August 10th).
The major project has been supported by a grant of over £6 million from Sport England. As well as improving the existing pistol range, the centre now has a new four-range clay target facility and a brand new, fully electronic, 50-metre 80-lane small bore rifle range, plus a 10-metre air rifle and pistol range. Supporting elements such as facilities for sports science and medicine are also now available.
THE NEW facilities at Bisley are a major boost to the sport of shooting in Great Britain and will allow the sport to build upon its success of the Gold and Silver medals gained at the Sydney Olympics.
These excellent results have secured a new priority two status for the sport of shooting with UK Sport. The Great Britain Target Shooting Federation has subsequently secured an award of £1 million in support of it's new World Class Performance Programme for the period leading up to Athens 2004 - there are currently thirteen shooters on the World Class Performance Programme.
The official opening of the new centre was carried out jointly by Sarah Cooper (in memory of her late husband Malcolm, a double Olympic Gold medallist who died in June) and Ian Coley – the Manager and Coach of the Great Britain Clay Shooting team.
