Gault, who is named today in England’s a 22-strong shooting team for Delhi, has won 15 medals from four Games to date. 

The Norfolk shooter is entered for up to eight competitions in Delhi and would become the most medalled athlete in Commonwealth Games history if he wins four medals.

That record is thought to be held by Australian pistol shooter Phillip Adams, who won 18 medals from six Commonwealth Games.  

Gault’s four medals in Melbourne four years ago made him England’s most medalled Commonwealth Games athlete, overhauling the record of 13 held by swimmer Karen Pickering. 

Gault said Delhi is likely to be his last Commonwealth Games.
 
“I’m 56 now and I’ve drawn a line in the sand and said after these Games I’m retiring," he said.

"I’m already one of the older shooters around.

"I’ve got one more goal now.

"This time I’ve got the chance of becoming the most successful athlete in the history of the Commonwealth Games from any country. 

"Because of who I am and what I’ve done, everyone expects something every time I step on to the firing line.

"That’s a huge responsibility and something I’ve got to control emotionally and physically.

"I’ve done everything I can possibly do, I don’t talk about not winning any more.
 
"I’ve got my mind around the fact that I’m going to go there and win – otherwise, what’s the point in going?”

The England shooting team for Delhi also includes 19-year-old rifle shooter James Huckle (pictured), who was one of the stars of the show for England at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India, two years ago.  

Huckle, from Harlow in Essex, returned home with a hat-trick of gold medals from the 50 metre rifle prone, 10m air rifle and the 50m rifle three-positions.

He later collected three silvers and two bronzes at the Commonwealth Shooting Federation Championship, the test event for the Games in Delhi in February.

He said: "Competing at a multi-sports event was a completely different experience to a shooting event, I got to meet lots of people from other sports and see how they train. It was a really good insight.

"I knew that winning a medal in each event in Pune was possible, but getting three golds was amazing, I wasn’t expecting that.

"Having been to the Commonwealth Games shooting venue, I’m very much looking forward to going back there in October."

Today’s shooting team selections take the total number of England athletes selected for Delhi to date to 89.
 
England Commonwealth Games Chef de Mission Craig Hunter said: "I am delighted to welcome the shooters to the English Commonwealth Games team and I wish them every success in Delhi.

"I’d also like to wish Michael Gault the very best of luck in achieving a piece of history in Delhi."

England finished third in the shooting medals table at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games four years ago, behind India and Australia, with six golds, eight silvers and five bronzes. 

Mike Babb from Coventry returns to action in Delhi with the aim of winning his third successive gold medal in the 50m rifle prone pairs, each with different partners.

This time he teams-up with Richard Wilson.

Babb has also won back- to-back silver medals in the 50m rifle prone singles. 

Clive Bramley and Richard Brickell, silver medallists in the skeet pairs four years ago, also return to action in Delhi, as do Gorgs Geikie and Julia Lydall, bronze medallists in the 10m air pistol pairs in Melbourne. 


Related stories
March 2009: Gault hopes Olympic dream will come true at 58
October 2008: Mike Rowbottom on why the force is with new shooting star James Huckle
October 2008: Huckle completes his hat-trick in Pune
January 2008: Pistol reprieve has come too late says Gault