Amber Rutter is a women's role model says British Shooting leader Steven Seligmann

By Megan Armitage

British Shooting team leader Steven Seligmann has hailed Amber Rutter as a role model to women in sport ahead of Paris 2024.

Rutter will take to the start line in the French capital just three months after giving birth to her son Tommy after an impressive return to the international scene.

The 26-year-old from Windsor made her Olympic debut at Rio 2016, but missed out on Tokyo 2020 due to Covid.

She's now back for her second Games in Paris and will line-up in the women's skeet in a post-pregnancy apperance that Seligmann believes can inspire people everywhere.

"Amber has been on an amazing journey," he said. "I've said it before but she's an unbelievable role model for women in sport as a whole.

"I know her family will be looking and supporting her from back home, and young Tommy will be will be supporting her from back home as well.

"I hope she can continue that great journey and we've got a lot fingers crossed for her as well in Paris."

Bouncing back to compete at a Games so soon after pregnancy is a journey not every mum or athlete should expect to happen.

But it's one that Seligmann credits to Rutter's incredible drive to compete alongside the support of the UK Sport Institute and the team at British Shooting.

"That's just Amber, in many ways," he said. "She's got that fight in her but equally she has that team there.

"Her coach Richard and her psychologist are out in Paris with us and they've been at the heart of meticulously planning her post pregnancy plan in conjunction with the UK Sport Institute, where we've got some great medical staff who have done an unbelievable job to make sure absolutely everything's been ticked off from, pre birth, during birth and post birth.

"She's in a great place physically and I know she's been training hard so fingers crossed."

Rutter is one of over 1,000 elite athletes on UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded World Class Programme, allowing them to train full time, have access to the world’s best coaches and benefit from pioneering medical support – this is vital for their pathway to the Paris 2024 Games.

And Seligmann noted just how crucial the support of The National Lottery is to allowing incredible dreams, such as Rutter's, to come true.

"The support from The National Lottery is critical," he said.

"The whole of the high performance system is very special but at the core of it, without that resource and support from the National Lottery and UK Sport, we wouldn't be at the start line in the Olympic Games.

"It enables us to travel the world, to train, to compete, but essentially to do the basics.

"No athlete will get into the top of their podium without a team of quality people around them.

"And at the heart of that you have to trust those people, to trust your coach implicitly.

"We're really proud of the program and the pathway we've creating here at British Shooting and we're still going on that journey. I know there's more to come. "

With more than £30M a week raised for Good Causes, including vital funding into elite and grassroots sport, National Lottery players support our Olympic and Paralympic athletes to live their dreams and make the nation proud, as well as providing more opportunities for people to take part in sport. To find out more visit: www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk