An Infantry Major in the British Army has been appointed as the London 2012 Olympics Organising Committee's competition manager for shooting.

Major Peter Underhill (50), of the 1st Battalion The Rifles, will be responsible for the planning, organisation and management of the Olympic and Paralympic shooting events that will take place at the former Royal Artillery Barracks, in Woolwich, south east London.

Major Underhill has been involved with the sport of target shooting since he was 13-years-old. During a service career spanning some 32-years he has represented the Army, England and Great Britain in both service rifle and small-bore target rifle shooting. In 1999, besides international representation and national accolades, he received the Combined Services Sportsman of the Year award.

Major Underhill said he was "honoured and privileged" to be offered such a significant role: "The Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in London in 2012 will be the greatest sporting events to take place in this country's history and to be part of it is exciting and inspiring.
"I know that both the London Organising Committee and British Shooting are determined to produce exceptional and unique Games in 2012. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this once in a lifetime experience."

As chairman of the English Small-bore Shooting Union and the English Target Shooting Federation and a director of British Shooting, Major Underhill recently engineered the successful bid to bring a shotgun World Cup to Great Britain in 2010.

Horst Schreiber, General Secretary of the International Shooting Sports Federation, described the Major as "an obvious choice" and "well equipped to cope with the challenges of the job".

Peter, who is currently serving with the Army Development and Selection Centre in Pirbright, will travel to the Beijing Olympic Games to see what lessons can be learned from the shooting event there and will initially take up his post on a part-time basis, becoming full time in 2010.

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