London, August 4 (ANI): A snowboarding accident, that took place more than a decade ago, proved to be the 'stroke of luck' that led to gold for farmer's son Peter Wilson.

He only took up competitive shooting after a shoulder injury suffered on the slopes prevented him from playing his favourite sports of squash and cricket.

However, the 25-year-old was the toast of the Royal Artillery Barracks on Thursday when he won gold in the Double Trap.

Remarkably, it emerged that part of his coaching involved Skype conversations with Ahmad Mohammad Hasher Al Maktoum, a member of the Dubai royal family and a former Olympic champion.

The sheikh stepped in with free coaching when Wilson's funding from UK Sport was cut in 2008.

Up to that point, Wilson had been reduced to working as a waiter in a pub to raise extra cash.

How can a farm boy from Dorset possibly prepare for that? the Daily Mail quoted Wilson as saying afterwards.

It is just impossible. So I just tried to enjoy every moment and the crowd were amazing.

I haven't been training as well as I'd hoped but I knew come the competition I would raise my game, that's what I'm here for and there's no bigger one than the Olympic Games in London.

I am absolutely delighted, he said.

His snowboarding fall left him with a damaged shoulder during his first year at Millfield School in Somerset - the same public school attended by Olympic champion rower Helen Glover.

Wilson, of Sherborne, Dorset, was taught to shoot one-handed after a physiotherapist advised him it would aid his recovery by building up his shoulder strength.

Such was his natural ability that within four months he was crowned World Junior champion.

He started competing full-time in 2006 and his march to Olympic gold gained pace when the sheikh offered to coach him.

The pair spent hours on Skype discussing shooting techniques - especially the ability to shut out all distractions before pulling the trigger.

He smashed the world record in Arizona in March and is now Britain's first shooting medallist since Richard Faulds won gold in the same event in Sydney 12 years ago.

On Thursday, a capacity crowd gave the new champion a standing ovation after he held his nerve to score 188 out of 200 shots fired before he climbed into the first row of seats to greet his mother and tearful girlfriend, artist Michelle McCullagh. (ANI)