A law student from Southampton Solent University has secured a silver medal at the 2026 British Championship in air rifle shooting. Sophie Signorelli, a second-year student, earned the podium finish as part of her ongoing success with the British Shooting Talent Squad.
Signorelli, who is currently ranked first in the AirOShoot system, has already qualified for the Super Final in Belgium this October. She is also preparing for the IRS Cup in Belgium in May 2026, with further goals to qualify for the FISU World University Championship Shooting Sport in New Taipei, Chinese Taipei, and the Walther Youth Cup in Serbia later this year.
Her recent performance builds on a strong 2025 season where she secured double bronze at the English Championships in both junior and open categories. Signorelli attributes much of her progress to the Sport Excellence Programme at Southampton Solent University. Since joining the programme, she has achieved four personal bests in competition and eight in training.
The support scheme provides student-athletes with financial bursaries ranging from £1,000 to £5,000, alongside access to sports therapy, psychology, nutrition, and sport science services. Athlete Support Officer Kelly Simm noted that Signorelli’s recent achievements reflect her significant commitment and resilience. After narrowly missing selection for the programme last year, Signorelli worked to improve her performance and successfully earned her place in the current intake.
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