IAN Peel aims to be a shooting star at this month's Olympics before disappearing into the night.

The 42-year-old, from Great Harwood, is Great Britain's top medal prospect in the Olympic Trap in Sydney -- and Ian wants to win gold in the shooting event as his final swansong before retiring from competition.

"I've been competing on and off since 1984 and I've decided that, after all the travelling and competitions over the years, the Olympics will probably be my final bow.

"I've got a young family, my oldest son is five, and work commitments at Yarn Dyers, and there's also the financial side of competing. So I've decided it's probably enough.

"It will be the pinnacle to finish if off with a medal but, if it's gold, I might change my mind and want to defend it!"

Ian is the British number one at Olympic Trap which involves firing at 125 4oz clay targets, from 16 metres away, which come out at angles of up to 70 degrees.

He reckons he'll need to get 120 'kills' on September 16 to reach the final six who will fire it out for the medals on September 20.

"That's not too tough a target," said Ian. "I got 122 out of 125 to become British champion and 124 is my best. I should be able to do it although it depends on the day and the conditions. I need it wet, windy and dull like in England!

"Conditions do make a difference though and Australia does have changeable weather. Last time I was out there it was bright one minute, and breezy and overcast the next which makes the task harder.

"And it's also about how you feel on the day . Like any sport, you can have an off day. You can shoot one day and miss some of the targets, on another you can almost get them all. I'm just hoping it's my day as well!"

Ian's main rival for the gold medal is defending Olympic champion Michael Diamond, from Australia, who is also the World Champion and will have the benefit of home support.

But Ian's not too bothered about that as he's already got one over on Michael in his own backyard earlier in the year.

"I beat him in a pre-Olympic competition in Australia in March. I won and he finished sixth so I am quite confident," smiled Ian, who lists three top class Italians, two Americans, a Portugeuse and a Russian as other gold medal rivals as well as British team-mate Peter Boden from Cambridge.

But the Olympics is a relatively new experience for Ian. Despite competing all round the world in competitions -- with his CV including World and European Championship medals, World Cup prizes and countless British and European titles -- it is only Ian's second Olympics.

His last was in Korea, way back in 1988.

"I finished a disappointing 25th but I wasn't shooting as well as I am now," admitted Ian. "It was my first Olympics and my inexperience showed.

"I've got another 12 years experience and 12 years of competing and now I am in the top 10 in the world and expect a lot more."

It's taken him so long to get back again because, like in other events, the shooters have a qualifying competition, the World Cup in Italy lasyt year, where Ian was third. -- and last year's, the World Cup in Italy, is the first one Ian has won to seal the coveted Sydney spot.

"I will be disappointed if I don't get in the first 10 at least and there's always a chance of that medal," added Ian.