New world record for Great Barr Paralympian Ryan Cockbill

Ryan Cockbill, who was a London 2012 torchbearer and Paralympic competitor, set the standard as he won gold during an international air rifle shooting competition in Turkey.

The 22-year-old, from Great Barr, who has set his sights on going to Rio in 2016, competed in the IPC Shooting World Cup in Antalya.

He set the world record in the 10-metre air rifle competition in which the gun was resting on a tripod.

He achieved a qualifying score of 629.8, before racking up 210.6 points over 20 shots in the finals. The score, which is judged on accuracy, set a new world record and won him a trophy.

Mr Cockbill, of Ravenhurst Drive, said: "It was an amazing feeling to set a world record.

"It was a tough competition. There were 21 competitors.

"I got 629.8 points to qualify and the most you can get is 654. It's the first gold I've got in a world cup competition." Mr Cockbill also picked up first prize at the British Airgun Championships in Bisley, Surrey, earlier this year.

At the National Indoor Shooting Centre open competition at Aldersley Leisure Village, Wolverhampton, he also won a category in which a stand is used to support the rifle.

His mother Karen, aged 53, added: "He was really excited to set a world record.

"I was very proud of him. He has the potential to succeed for years to come. He's come up through the ranks. His next aim is Rio in 2016."

He broke his neck in a paddling pool accident in 2006 which paralysed him from the chest down.