A FORMER clay pigeon champion is back on top of the world after returning to the sport as a veteran.

Anthony John Smith, more commonly known as "AJ," first won a world title as a senior competitor back in 1987.

However, the Stapleford sharp-shooter blasted his way out of retirement to triumph at the European Championships at the end of May, before crossing the Atlantic to bag the world veteran title in Kansas, last month.

The two wins also secured him the title of world veteran cup holder to re-establish himself as the British and world number one.

It was the first time AJ had competed as a veteran for Great Britain, after a 12-year break from the national and international circuits.

Proudly displaying his three gold medals, two cups and a beautiful clock that he won, he told Journal Sport he had enjoyed the events, but felt relieved, rather than ecstatic, when he won the European Championships in Prague.

"It's not the first time I've done it because I won them all back in 1987 and 1989 as a senior," explained AJ.

"I'm also shooting against exactly the same people I used to. It's just we're all a lot older."

He added: "I think you have a built-in average, and mine was always higher than theirs.

"So although I'm really pleased, I think with the right gun, I could do it again."

AJ, whose wife Tina is also a former British clay pigeon champion, took up the sport in 1972.

Prior to his comeback this year he had amassed a remarkable tally of 37 individual gold medals - an impressive haul for someone who only took up top level competition following a chance meeting at the New Forest Show.

"I met up with a guy who is now a friend of mine," recalls AJ. "He was going to Yorkshire to take part in the selection shoot for the England team. He persuaded me to go up there with him and I won the unclassified event."

As a result, AJ was selected for the England team.

The rest, as they say, is history.

AJ retired from the senior circuit in 1990, only to take up the sport again last year.

He added: "I put in a lot of practice and during the winter I changed guns and started to shoot a lot better.

"I was practising once a week and shooting competitively every weekend. It didn't take long to get back into the swing of things and when I came out this year, I seemed to have no problem winning."

But AJ says he has no plans to hang up his gun just yet.

"I will probably be competing again next year, but I will not be representing Great Britain.

"I'll just go into the events as a private individual - there's not so much pressure then."