Shooting star Ryan aims for gold medal
He has shown unbelievable courage in the face of adversity – and seven years on from an accident that left him paralysed, target shooter Ryan Cockbill is setting his sights on Paralympic gold in Brazil.
The 23-year-old from Great Barr came 17th and 21st in two events at the London Paralympic Games and, thanks to the support of his family and the public, he is training to go one better in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
This week, the former Aldridge School pupil's mother Karen launched a £3,000 fundraiser for a new German Navy rifle to suit his disability, while also forging ahead with the sale of her and ex-husband Andrew's home.
Watch: New world record for Great Barr Paralympian Ryan Cockbill.
The family will move into a new home in Aldridge, along with his grandmother Sheila Lever, who is selling her home to join them in Aldridge.
Meanwhile, Ryan is training three to four times a week at Aldersley Sports Village near Wolverhampton, while also joining up with his GB colleagues several times a month at Stoke Mandeville in Aylesbury.
He hopes to improve in time for the season re-start in January and then aims to be picked for the Paralympic games squad for the competition in two years.
He said: "I'm always going to be aiming for the top, whether that be getting as fit as I can or going for gold in Rio – my injury changed my outlook on life, I try and do my best at everything now.
"After what happened and the injuries I suffered, I have even surprised myself a bit on what I have done since.
"While you think it might quieten me down, my life has never been busier.
See also: Shooting star Ryan in TV show on the Olympics.
"And it is partly down to the support of my family and others that I have done what I have. Their help makes me want to try harder."
Ryan suffered a compression fracture of his spine – leaving him paralysed from the chest down after he jumped into a pool at a friend's house in 2006.
Despite being restricted to a wheelchair, he picked up shooting during a sports day organised while he was in hospital recovering.
He said: "My passion was cooking, but unfortunately I was unable to follow that up, so having something else to concentrate on was important.
"I naturally progressed to competition level and was asked for a trial and then accepted on to the GB team – it has gone on from there really."
Ryan's mother's fundraising appeal is for an Anschutz German rifle, which costs £3,000. Mrs Cockbill, aged 51, hopes to raise the cash through some upcoming events and donations.
The housing association worker and ex-husband Mr Cockbill, 54, are selling their home to raise cash for their son's Paralympic training.
They also need to help pay for the 24-hour care for their son.
They had hoped to be awarded £7million in damages.
Mrs Cockbill said: "As any parents, we want the very best for our son and are doing what we can to support him.
"As well as raising the money and giving up time to take him to competitions and training, we're also planning to fit in a kitchen for his needs at the new home.
"This has brought the whole family together."
Last year, Ryan won gold at an international air rifle shooting competition in Turkey. Earlier this year he was made an ambassador by the Midlands Air Ambulance charity.
The London 2012 torchbearer and competitor also won gold at an international air rifle shooting competition in Turkey last year.
More recently, in January, he won the Keith Morris Challenge Trophy for the third year in a row at a shooting event at Aldersley Stadium.
When not shooting, Ryan works out and has physiotherapy to keep his muscles in shape.
At the London games he competed in a sit-down and stand-up class events for target shooting.
He said: "I didn't do too bad. It was quite cold which didn't help with my movements. The experience was out of this world though. We had 1,000 people watching us, I'd never had that before.
"It made me hungry for more success."
Karen said: "After the injury he simply decided to get on with the things he enjoys doing. Since coming across shooting, he hasn't looked back. We're immensely proud of his achievements."
