UK sharpshooter’s secret weapon ... pink am mo!
WITH her beautifully manicured nails, reality TV obsession and holidays to Marbella with girlfriends, Amber Hill is every bit the typical teenager.
Her most ‘prized possession’ is a pair of Louboutin high heels and she admits she is ‘really girly’.
But the 18-year-old is also a crack shot who is aiming for a gold medal in skeet shooting in Rio with her customised shotgun and bright pink ammunition.
She says: ‘I love fashion and make-up. What girl doesn’t love being pampered?
‘I love getting my nails done before competitions and events. For me if I feel good and feel confident in myself I shoot well.’
Blonde Miss Hill is tipped for an Olympic medal after winning the world championship in skeet shooting when aged just 15.
After leaving Claires Court private school in Maidenhead, Berkshire, following her GCSEs two years ago, she has dedicated almost every day to perfecting her skill at the shooting range. Her gym instructor boyfriend, James Rutter, offers the occasional welcome distraction, but 5ft 2ins Miss Hill has an Olympic medal in her cross-hairs.
It was her grandfather, Bill Rogers, who got her hooked on clay pigeon shooting from a very young age. Miss Hill said: ‘When I was ten, I did not want to spend my Sundays watching my brother’s rugby matches. So I ended up at the shooting range with my grandfather.’
After initially betting her £50 that she couldn’t beat him, Mr Rogers has said he had to cancel the bet after she smashed target after target. He has encouraged her ever since, backed by her parents Adam and Joanne and her professional coach Joe Neville. Miss Hill admitted there will be nerves in Rio, but added: ‘I am going for gold, I don’t do anything else.’