Geikie looks to Euros after funding boost

GEORGINA Geikie has set her sights on European Championship glory after being handpicked in the last eight of the British Airways Great Britons initiative.

SHARPSHOOTER: Georgina Geikie eyes European Championships success after receiving helping hand

The 24-year-old has been fine tuning her preparations on the final two of four legs of the World Cup circuit in Munich and Milan where she walked away with a best finish of 17th in the sport pistol class.

Geikie claimed Commonwealth bronze seven years ago in Manchester and will use the European's in Osijek, Croatia as a stepping stone towards upgrading her efforts at next year's Games in Delhi.

The former modern pentathlete was the only female British shooter as part of the seven-strong squad in Milan and has vowed to lay down a Commonwealth marker ahead of the event in 17 months time.

"To have that kind of world class experience under my belt is perfect - I have learnt a lot going forward and I hope to use that at the Europeans," said Geikie - who was shortlisted in the final eight by the BA judging panel - including Olympic gold medalist Denise Lewis - with the public now voting to decide the winner via www.greatbritons.ba.com.

"The competition has been so close and there was only about four points separating those in the top eight from those outside it.

"I am aiming to get in the top 12 in Croatia in the sport pistol and hopefully I can get in the final. That will be quite an ask because there will obviously be some of the best shooter but I am here and there at the moment.

"Just getting on the World Cup is hard in the first place and the European's are very much the climax of the season and from September onwards things will start looking towards the Commonwealth Games and the Commonwealth Championships which are a bit of mock event in February."

Geikie - who is forced to travel to Zurich to train for the sport pistol class following the Dunblane tragedy 12 years ago - was dealt a further blow at the start of the year when UK Sport announced a 75.8 per-cent cut in funding.

As part of their London 2012 sponsorship, British Airways will give away a £500,000 travel fund, offering 180 free flights a year until 2012 to talented individuals, who demonstrate the values associated with the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

And the Geikie - who also trains at the National Shooting Centre in Bisley, Surrey - said: "I missed the two previous World Cups in China and Korea because I didn't have enough funding to get out there because they were too far away. 

"We aren't allowed to train for the sport pistol in England either because of what happened in 1996 so we have to go abroad and obviously if I want to get better I have no choice."

RYAN BANGS