Seonaid McIntosh has swapped rifles for roller skates but wants to make shooting an accessible sport for all. 

The Dalry-based star has been getting up to all sorts in lockdown, juggling her time between reading, roller skating and playing her homemade guitar alongside her SCATT training that sees her take aim at a laser target.

That form of training is no replacement for the thrill of being out on the range, but the 24-year-old has had to compromise during the break, as she bids to build on her two 2018 World Championship medals – one gold, one bronze – in Tokyo next year.

McIntosh knows that variety is the spice of life, however, and has loved getting her skates on and taking to the Edinburgh streets alongside flatmate and fellow athlete Holly Rees-Lay.

“I did some roller skating when I was a kid, but at that age my pocket money was nothing, so I bought some cheap, nasty roller skates,” McIntosh, one of 1,100 athletes on UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded World Class Programme, said.

“But my flatmate Holly has been roller-skating and was saying ‘come with me and keep me occupied!’ so I bought a new pair which were a lot nicer than the ones I had before.

“It’s been really fun – although I’ve fallen over a few times!

“I’ve also built a guitar but I’m still learning – I started building it when I was 16, but I’ve finally finished it in lockdown eight years later.

“But it’s pretty much been a case of no training for me – I’ve been using my SCATT machine to practice, but I’ve missed the buzz of competing.”

National Lottery funding was what enabled McIntosh to shoot so sharply in Changwon in 2018, before adding a pair of World Cup medals – one gold and one bronze again – to her glittering record in Putian the following year.

It’s not all rifles and targets for McIntosh, however, who studied Electrical Engineering at Heriot-Watt University where she diligently balanced her studies alongside her burgeoning shooting journey.

That journey now sees her vying for a maiden Games glory next summer, where she will be aiming to add to the 864 Olympics and Paralympic medals powered by National Lottery funding since 1997.

McIntosh is acutely aware that shooting remains one of Britain’s lower-profile sports, however, with many children opting to enter more dynamic and popular physical pastimes.

But the precocious star has been immersed in the sport from an early age – parents Shirley and Donald are Commonwealth Games gold medallists –and hopes to inspire the next generation when she takes to the Tokyo targets.

“I’m hoping that shooting gets more high-profile and accessible in Britain in the future,” she added.

“It would be great to get loads more people into the sport, as I think it’s a really great sport that’s under-appreciated, and quite underrated, at the moment.

“I actually think shooting’s a lot more physical than people give it credit for, while it’s also good for focus and mental aspects.

“It will be super cool to fly the British flag out in Japan and I’m really excited - my ultimate message to National Lottery players is thanks for playing, as I couldn’t do this sport without the National Lottery funding!”

No one does more to support our Olympic and Paralympic athletes than National Lottery players, who raise around £30 million each week for good causes. Discover the positive impact playing the National Lottery has at www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/stories/track-to-tokyo and #TracktoTokyo #NationalLotteryAthletes