Olympic ambitions for Al-Attiyah

Nasser Al-Attiyah, who starred on last week’s Cyprus Rally before a mechanical fault forced him out of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge season finale, is planning for a busy 2012.

As well is continuing his hugely successful rallying career, the Qatari, an IRC event winner in an M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000, is set to represent his country in next year’s Olympic Games in London in one of the shooting events.

“I am prepared for my fifth Olympic Games in London next summer but it will not be easy,” said Al-Attiyah. “I spend 20 years now during my sport in shooting and it will be really nice to go back again and to fight. For the last two Olympic Games I was only one point from the gold medal but and really it’s my dream to finish top three in the Olympic Games in London. It will be good for my country and I am pushing myself a lot.”