Jackson full of confidence ahead of 20km individual after making Team GB history
Team GB’s
Lee Jackson made a slice of history today (Tuesday) by becoming the first British athlete to compete in the biathlon pursuit event at an Olympic Winter Games.
The 29-year-old soldier from Stockton-on-Tees finished 56th in today’s 12.5km pursuit race at Whistler Olympic Park.
Jackson hit two clear shooting rounds out of four, but was hampered by missing three targets on his penultimate round.
“I skied well today. I was disappointed with my first standing shoot, but I picked it up at the end,” said Jackson, who completes his first taste of Olympic Winter Games action in the 20km individual event on Thursday (February 18).
“Shooting zero twice in a race builds your confidence. It leaves me in a good position and with plenty of confidence going into my final race on Thursday,” he added.
“I’m in a good position in my head and physically I feel great, so there’s a lot to go for on Thursday.
“Anything in the top-40 would be phenomenal performance for a British skier. If I get a clean shoot a top-15 or top-20 position in the next race could be possible, I’d be over the moon with that. It would be like a medal to me.
“I’ve enjoyed every race here and I’ve really enjoyed the experience,” added Jackson.
Jackson started today’s event in 55th place following his placing in the individual sprint on Sunday - he set off three minutes and 10 seconds behind the leader,
He got away from the shooting range quickly after hitting all five targets in his first prone shooting round, climbing to 51st.
On the next shooting round, also prone, he missed the first target but then hit the following four and left the range in 55th.
Jackson dropped a place in the first standing shooting round, hitting the first two targets but then missing three in a row.
But he ended on a high note, hitting five from five on the last standing shoot and then completing the last skiing leg to cross the line in 56th in 39 minutes 54.7 seconds - six minutes 16.3 seconds behind gold medallist Bjorn Ferry from Sweden.
Notes to editors:
Team GB consists of 52 athletes from 6 sports and 11 disciplines at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Visit www.teamgb.com for further information.
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Whistler - adam.parsons@boa.org.uk / +1 604 721 6080 or Steve Ballinger: steve@matchtight.co.uk / +1 604 725 1553
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