Peter Wilson retires

Peter Wilson announced his retirement from double trap shooting at the age of 28 recently. Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, he explained that he was enjoying his time away from competitive shooting and has decided to step down.

Peter plans to take over the family farm and coach James Dedman, a young British Shooter with a lot of potential.

We take a look back at the highlights of Peter Wilson’s career:

Peter breaks a world record

At the start of 2012 Peter Wilson whot 198 out of 200 at a World Cup event in Arizona. This moved him to number one in the world rankings.

Peter wins Olympic gold

“If I looked cool and collected at the end, I wasn’t,” he said. “I’d just been through such an emotional roller coaster in the competition, all I felt was sheer relief. I couldn’t take it in.

“And then, almost at once, I was swept up by the frenzy that goes with being an Olympic champion – the awards ceremony, meeting people, journalists, delegates and celebrating in the Olympic Village. I did my share of partying, but why not? This was a moment in my life that I wanted to remember forever.”

Peter wows commuters when he travels by tube with his Olympic gold medal.

He was on the underground when he heard two boys arguing about whether Mo Farah would win or not.

“I had my Olympic gold medal in my pocket and thought it would just make their day,” he said.

“I lent over and their mother looked at me as if to say, ‘Don’t speak to strangers’. I said, ‘Have you seen one of these?’ and his face just dropped.

“It was the most incredible thing to watch this child experience that.”

The Royal Mail produces Gold Medal stamps after Peter’s win

Peter is appointed MBE

Peter was one of 10 people to be receive MBE in the New Year’s honours list in 2013.

Peter wins gold at the Al Ain World Cup

In his first competitive shoot since the London 2012 Olympics, Peter recorded a perfect score in the qualifying and final rounds.

Peter Wilson announces his retirement from competitive Olympic Double Trap:

1.5 : With regret I have decided to give up competitive Olympic Double Trap. Since having achieved the goals I set myself (World Record,

— Peter Wilson (@wilpex) October 31, 2014

2.5 : World Number One, and Olympic Gold) I have struggled to find a new incentive to compete. I am still passionate about all forms of

— Peter Wilson (@wilpex) October 31, 2014

3.5 : shooting and will always be ready to do what I can to promote it to a wider audience. Olympic Double Trap has been very good to me and

— Peter Wilson (@wilpex) October 31, 2014

4.5 : I am very grateful to everyone who has had a hand in my success but I would rather go out now, at the top after my most recent success

— Peter Wilson (@wilpex) October 31, 2014

5.5 : in Al Ain (2013), and move on to the next challenge.

— Peter Wilson (@wilpex) October 31, 2014

See Peter’s full sporting highlights on the ISSF website.