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A shooting star

25/ 7/2007

GREAT Britain have shot into the Beijing Olympics with help from Stockport archer Charlotte Burgess.

The 20-year-old from Offerton was part of the British women's team that clinched bronze in the World Championships in Leipzig last week.

Finishing third ensured that a full complement of British archers would be competing at next year's Games.

Burgess was reserve for the previous Olympics, but this time hopes to go a step further and earn a place in the squad.

A member of Cheadle-based Bowmen of Bruntwood, Burgess said: "It's always been a dream to go to the Olympics in whatever sport. I was always quite active and have done other sports.

"But I chose to go down that path in archery and now it's all coming to a head. It's nice after all the hard work I've put in."

Funding from a lottery grant and UK Sport allowed Burgess to give up her job in a gym to train full-time, the destiny Burgess imagined for herself when she first picked up a bow aged 10.

"After a few months and taking part in some junior competitions I thought I might make a career out of this. Actually doing it is a dream come true," she explained.

Burgess will travel China next month for two weeks to help her acclimatise to conditions ahead of the Olympics.

But she will not find out until April whether she has been selected to be one of the trio of British women archers to travel to Beijing.

Next weekend Burgess is competing in the final leg of the Archery World Cup in Dover.