THE man who struck Common-wealth gold twice in the shooting arena has been honing his talent at a Burnham club since boyhood.

David Luckman learned to shoot when he joined Burnham-based Sedgemoor Target Shooting Club, aged just 12.

And last week he won gold medals for both the full-bore rifle pairs and individual events at the games.

His father, Ian, a member of Burnham-based Sedgemoor Target Shooting Club, encouraged both his sons to join the club and follow in his footsteps ... although at first David wasn’t convinced.

He said: “I remember holding the rifle and feeling awkward. I couldn’t really see the appeal. It wasn’t until I entered my first competition that I became hooked. I really enjoyed that side of it but I was not sure at first.”

He said he had certainly learned his craft at the Burnham club where they do small bore shooting. 

He told the Weekly News: “I prepared myself mentally for the Commonwealth Games. I did visualisation exercises and imagined myself there and thought about what the competition would be like. It’s not just about the technical side ... it’s about having a strong mental approach so you perform well at the right time.”

President of Sedgemoor Target Shooting Club, Colin Clark, said: “Both he and his brother Andy have been very successful, winning pretty much every major title between them.

“It is quite unusual for a small club like ours to have such success and we’re very pleased.”

David’s father Ian said: “What David achieved particularly in the individual event was awesome and was one of the best things I have ever seen in shooting.

“He was four points clear of his nearest rival which is amazing as usually it’s just a fraction of a point.”

Mr Luckman, who lives in Puriton with his wife, Jill, said: “It all started in Burnham and David is still a member of the club.”

David lives in Bristol now with his wife, Susie, three-year-old son Thomas and baby Sophie.

Mr Luckman also said: “David himself is quite reticent about his string of achievements but what he has done is remarkable. He must be the best in the world at his sport at the moment.”