Noah Mayne has had a rapid rise in his chosen sport of target rifle shooting, and the Kirk Michael teenager is aiming higher still.

Looking into 2019 he hopes to attain a place within the British Talent Rifle Squad.

His amazing enthusiasm has been buoyed up by help and tips from top Isle of Man shooters including Commonwealth Games bronze medal winner Stewart Watterson and competitors past and present, including Nick Brown.

He is a member of Kirk Michael Rifle Club, but his second home is the Sinclair Range at St John’s.

’I’m really pleased that so many of the other rifle shooting members both at Kirk Michael and Isle of Man Shooting Club at St John’s have shown an active interest in my development and training to hopefully take me to the next level achievable,’ he said. ’All being well, this might lead me to attaining a place on the talent squad.’

The youngster is helped and supported by his parents, Julie and Chris Mayne, the latter having reawakened his own interest in rifle shooting as he now joins his son at league matches.

Bragging rights can depend on which Mayne scores the highest in a winter league night fixture.

Noah took part in a junior international at Bisley and currently has an arrangement to train with Wales’s target shooting community in Cardiff. He has also been taken into the North West Regional Shooting Squad based at Wigan.

The biggest problem Noah can often face is getting a ferry crossing, as these are subject to cancellation or postponement in winter months, but this is an essential commitment to have the contact with the levels of coaching support needed for Noah’s development.

Undeterred, he will push on with training at St John’s instead, with the assistance of club members. This young man has developed quickly in a sport he clearly loves.

He is always happy to help newcomers at the Kirk Michael range with tips passed on from his burgeoning experience. All this and Noah has only recently turned 14.

Now a regular in the winter indoor league campaign, he scored his first competitive and certified perfect 100 - the hallowed ’possible’ - as the club won its division in the Scottish Target Shooting Team Prone league last season against teams as far afield as Orkney and Edinburgh. For this, he and the rest of the team were issued medals.

Now all he has to do is take his promise to the next level. No pressure there then.

At the moment, though, Noah is still learning and training.

’I’d like to thank the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company for its help and assistance with off- island travel and also to Bobby at Sadler’s Agricultural Supplies for ongoing support as well,’ added the talented youngster.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham does not yet include any shooting events but a campaign is being mounted by the sport’s governing body the ISSF to turn that decision around.

Perhaps Noah Mayne will yet be a member of an Isle of Man team.

COLIN WATSON