DORSET’S Peter Wilson is aiming for more than just a gold medal at this summer’s Olympics .

Among the sharpshooter’s ambitions in London is to create a positive outlook on the sport of shooting, and banish any lingering negative connotations.

The 25-year-old, from Sherborne, is ranked world number two in the double trap and goes into the competition, which starts next Thursday, as one of the favourites. He said: “I hope the main legacy is that people start to have a positive outlook on shooting.

“Woolwich is a great spot to have the event. People can get there easily and watch it in a positive environment.”

Despite admitting that shooting is seen as a hobby for the privileged, Wilson insists anyone can succeed in the sport.

He added: “My parents have a small farm in Dorset, so I’m privileged and lucky, but in double trap, it’s a real mixture.

“There’s a guy (Steve Scott) from Battle Hastings who is struggling to get by – working with his dad to make money – and there’s another guy (Steve Walton) working in a factory in Birmingham.

“But if you really want to do something you can overcome every obstacle.”

Although expectations are high, the Dorset shooter, who set a new world record at the World Cup in Tucson earlier this year, is playing down the hype.

He said: “This is only my first Olympics, so I’m taking pressure off myself. “I’m shooting very, very well and training is going to plan – but it’s early in my career. “I want to put myself in the best possible position to perform at the highest level in the competition.

“I was sent out to Beijing 2008 as part of the Ambition programme in order to take it all in. Hopefully I can cope with the added pressure.”

British shooting coach Ian Coley meanwhile, insists there is no extra pressure to win an Olympic medal at London 2012 – despite the weight of home expectation and the reality of future financial funding.

Shooting has been one of Great Britain’s most successful Olympic sports, with 43 medals, including 12 golds, since the Games began.

But there hasn’t been a single medal since Richard Faulds struck double trap gold in Sydney 2000 and Ian Peel won trap silver, leading to a cut in lottery funding by UK Sport at the start of this Olympic cycle.

Coley though, who works closely with double trap duo Faulds and Wilson, Team GB’s best medal hopes, remains optimistic.

He said: “I wouldn’t say we’re under pressure from the BOA or UK Sport to win medals. Shooting is targeting one medal and that’s achievable and I would expect the shooters to actually achieve that.

“Not one gold medal, but one medal – of course we’d like to achieve that and we’re certainly thinking about gold but we would be satisfied with a podium finish.

“I’m very conscious that Richard and Peter are strong medal hopes. But we’ve been there before when Richard won in Sydney, so we’ve had the tears of winning, but we’ve also had the tears of disappointment from athletes in some of the other Games.

“We’re very aware of what can happen. But for both Richard and Peter, there’s certainly a medal opportunity there for both of them.

“Peter has had a wonderful last 12 months – breaking the world record and winning the World Cup, which all add up to good things.

“Richard has not done quite as well in qualifying, which is good for him as he normally rises to the occasion, so I’m very hopeful.”