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Team GB athletes hoping to break world records from behind a mask at Tokyo 2020 could do worse than take notes from shooting star Amber Hill.
Hill, world No 1 in the skeet shotgun discipline, is one of a handful of Britain’s Olympians in waiting to have competed on another continent during Covid-19.
She travelled to New Delhi, India, was tested a dozen times and spent a week in quarantine, without firing a single shot, before lining them up at the ISSF World Cup.
At her first competition in 15 months Hill hit 124 of 125 targets, equalling the world record, and won gold to qualify an Olympic quota place for Team GB.
The secret? Simply to accept what was out of her - heavily sanitised - hands.
“The process definitely has an impact on your mental health,” said Hill, who is working with Purplebricks to encourage the nation to get behind Team GB on their journey to Tokyo. “Being isolated in four walls is very, very difficult and different. I tried to do everything I’ve learned through these times, to keep myself busy and productive.
“I was in the hotel doing online workouts - just like everybody else - and I feel like the little things, coming up with a routine, helped me stay focused. There was too much Netflix though! It was nice to take more effort before the competition focusing on myself and my preparation.
“In these circumstances not everything goes to plan and you have to accept what’s out of your control and do what’s needed to get back to sport. I was more than happy to do it. I was doing it for my family, doing it for the country and aiming to come home with a good result.
“We’ll just have to focus on the end goal in Tokyo. Olympic gold medals are why we started in our sports, so if as a team we can focus on that it will all be worth it.”
Olympians will not face the mandatory hotel quarantine that Hill underwent, but instead will be whisked into holding camps and out of Japan when their events end.
Hill reached the Olympic final at the tender age of 18 at Rio 2016 and will be among the favourites for skeet gold at her second Games.
Increasingly, the deadliest weapon in her arsenal is sports psychology.
The Windsor-born star fretted about ignoring her family on Games debut four years ago, moments before she shot off against women decades older than her.
In 2019 Hill sought the help of Paul Hughes, sports psychologist at British Shooting.
Now she is clean and serene on the range and in the top two inches, knowing that a single invasive thought can be the difference between gold and silver in her exhilarating sport.
“When I first started in the sport, I truly believed that it was all about ‘the more, the better’ in terms of training,” she said. “I’d been focusing a lot on my fitness, a lot on my technique, I didn’t even consider how my mentality impacts everything. We’re a little bit behind on it in shooting.
“I wanted to explore the psychology behind what it means to set up for the same shot 150 times and then 60 times in the final. Paul didn’t tell me anything I didn’t know, but everything became so much more simple. “The focus was on my breathing and letting negative thoughts flow through rather than shut them out.”
Some athletes shy away from underlining how important one single factor or big shift in approach is to their importance. Not Hill.
“After my first chat with Paul, I shot my PB which was then 122, and I got a silver medal and shot 55 in the final,” she said. “My next competition was in Delhi when I bettered my personal best. It’s helped massively, and not just in shooting.
She continues: “Everybody goes through spells of anxiety and worries about the future. Having worked with Paul, I feel so much happier and more positive as a person. It’s helped all aspects of my life.”
Team GB have won 46 Olympic shooting medals - incredibly, all won by men.
Hill and rifle shooter Seonaid McIntosh will be out to change that and sit atop the world rankings in their disciplines.
The Commonwealth Games silver medallist has waited long enough to show she’s twice the athlete she was as a teenager.
“I came away from Rio with a huge amount to work on and I knew my next steps leading up to Tokyo,” she said. “I almost didn’t want to go there and do everything perfectly, because I’ve learned so much from my mistakes.
“I want to come away with a medal this time, because I’m not ready to wait another three years!”
Amber Hill is working with Purplebricks to encourage the nation to get behind Team GB on their journey to Tokyo, with the same amazing home support as London 2012. Visit @PurplebricksUK. To enter the draw to receive one of 2,020 limited edition prints, visit https://page.purplebricks.co.uk/teamgb_homesupport/
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