Athlete Profile: Bethan Wallace
Name
Bethan Wallace
Course and Year of Study
DPhil in Biology (4th Year)
College
St. Hugh’s
Sport
Clay Pigeon Shooting
Club
Oxford University Clay Pigeon Shooting Club (OUCPSC)
Best Achievement
British Side-by-Side Championship Ladies High Gun (2024)
Short Term Aspirations
Aiming for CPSA A Classification and establishing myself as a competitive shooter at National level competitions
Long Term Aspirations
Aiming for England Team Selection and from there Team GB and the Olympics!
How did you get into the sport?
I first became involved in shooting sports as a teenager, trying out rifle, pistol, and archery. Archery stuck and for several years I competed at club and county level, with a barebow recurve. I valued the simplicity of shooting without additional equipment such as sights or stabilisers, believing it should be just you, the bow, and your aim. Although this mindset was sometimes a disadvantage in competition, it shaped how I view shooting sports.
This carried over when I started clay pigeon shooting. I believe success is determined more by skill than by expensive equipment. I began shooting while at Cambridge during Covid. Being entirely outdoors and involving plenty of walking, it was the perfect fit, and I quickly found I loved it. While my archery background helped, clay pigeon was refreshingly different - the targets are smaller, the distances are variable, plus the targets move!
When I moved to Oxford for my DPhil, I joined the Oxford University Clay Pigeon Shooting Club. After a year focusing on karate, I returned to shooting in my second year, becoming Women’s Captain in my third year (after winning the Ladies category at the British Side-by-Side Championship). Last season we rebuilt the women’s side almost from scratch after most of our shooters graduated, and I am excited to continue developing both the women’s and men’s teams this year. Now in my fourth year, I am honoured to serve as Club President.
What is your advice on balancing sport and academia?
My advice for balancing the two is to be disciplined with your time. Managing a DPhil alongside sport requires a great deal of structure. I set aside clear blocks of time for training and for research, and try (try!) not to let them overlap. This helps me to stay focussed in both areas. I also think sport actively enhances my academic life. Karate is an incredible stress reliever, as it requires complete concentration in the moment. Clay pigeon shooting is another way to quiet the mind, encouraging calm through breathing and taking each shot as it comes. Rather than competing with my academic work, I find taking time out for sport can refresh me for research the next day!
