Amber Rutter in pole position to qualify for Sunday’s skeet final

Amber Rutter hailed her “almost perfect” Olympic return after putting herself in pole position to qualify for Sunday’s women’s skeet shooting final in Chateauroux.

Rutter hit all but one of her 75 targets in the first three rounds, leaving her joint top of the standings ahead of the final two which will determine the six qualifiers for the medal final.

Rutter said: “It was almost perfect. It was a great first day, better than I could ever have really hoped for.

“Going into day two with that advantage is great. I am feeling really confident going into that last 50 (shots of qualification). But I know I can never take anything for granted.”

Rutter’s resurgence after missing out on the Tokyo Games due to a positive Covid test was all the more remarkable having welcomed her baby son Tommy at the end of April.

She is keeping her time in France to minimum but hopes her pursuit of an elusive first Olympic medal, having made her debut in Rio in 2016, will prove to be worth the sacrifice.

“It makes it a hell of a lot easier knowing I’ve got such a great support team at home with my husband and my family,” added Rutter. “Knowing he’s very well looked after definitely makes coming away a lot easier.

“Of course I miss him. But I really hope just being here will make him proud, and one day he will look at it and go, ‘My mummy was in the Olympics.'”