PISTOL shooter Georgina Geikie is targetting the team at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro – and has secured sponsorship for the next year to help her achieve her dream.

Georgina, known as Gorgs, is Britain's number one lady pistol shooter, and cemented her name in history as a member of Great Britain's best-ever Olympic team at London 2012.

A former pupil of South Tawton Primary and Okehampton College, Gorgs competed in the .22 sport pistol and air pistol events during the first week of the Olympics in London. She has now committed herself to aiming for Rio 2016.

The Chagford-based company Helpful Holidays has committed to sponsoring Gorgs for the year ahead, for the second year running.

She recently visited the Helpful Holidays offices to receive this year's sponsorship and to update the team on her long and challenging quest ahead.

Gorgs said: 'I am so thankful to Helpful Holidays for their continued support. It's very important to me that I can train and work in the West Country, which has always been my home and is a place about which I am passionate.'

To practice, Gorgs has to travel to Bisley in Surrey, which has the only legal training ground for pistol shooting in the country.

The rest of her training takes place in Devon, where for six days a week she puts herself through a rigorous training schedule.

'Being able to live and train in the West Country energises and helps me stay focussed, which is so important,' said Gorgs.

'The local support is wonderful and Helpful Holidays has been beside me all the way which motivates me to take on the world.'

Helen Hayes, PR manager for Helpful Holidays, said: 'Gorgs has a tough venture ahead and her determination to win that gold medal is commendable.

'The next step is for her to qualify for the GB team this spring and then to compete in the World Championships during the summer in Grenada, Spain, so we are keeping our fingers crossed.'