Wilson, who won gold in double trap at London 2012, has been here in Baku for the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Championships this week working with his fellow British shooter Nathan Hales.

"I don’t see why men and women should not shoot together," Wilson told insidethegames.

"If we went in that direction we would be one of only two open sports, equestrian is the other, and that has always been used to defend the sport of horse riding."

Wilson has been impressed by the standard at the ISSF World Championships in Baku.

"We have seen massive scores from women across all the World Cups and here at the World Championships in Baku, they are quite capable in my opinion of competing with the men," Wilson said.

"I think it would be really positive move, it is about the most equitable way for us to defend our sport.

"I see it as something to be embraced rather than fearful of, wouldn’t it be wonderful years from now to see a woman standing atop a podium, with two men flanking her.

"I think that’s a great thing and I see it as a positive change rather than a negative one."

When women competitors were first admitted for the Mexico Olympics of 1968, they took part alongside the men.

Mexico’s Nuria Ortiz was the highest place finisher with 13th in the skeet.

By the Montreal Olympics of 1976, Margaret Murdock of the United States was winning silver in the three position small bore rifle,

She actually scored 1,162, the same total score as her compatriot and gold medallist Lanny Bassham, who received the verdict because he had scored higher in the kneeling phase.

Bassham pulled Murdock onto the top step as the American national anthem was played.

Separate competitions for women were introduced in rifle and pistol at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, but shotgun events remained open.

In Barcelona, China’s Zhang Shan won the last open skeet at an Olympics by one shot from Juan Jorge Giha Yarur of Peru.

Women’s competitions in shotgun events came in at Atlanta 1996 and mixed team competitions were brought in for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics for rifle, pistol and trap shooting.

"I have no title, I am speaking as an enthusiast, I would love to be competing against women, and I think there are a number who would give me a real run for my money and beat me hands down at the moment and when I was at my best," Wilson claimed.

As a first stage, Wilson has suggested that shooting squads for competitions could be integrated to have men and women shooting alongside one another in the qualification phases.

If open competitions were to be introduced Wilson predicts that it would soon pay dividends, though he admits that in the early stages some fine tuning of the qualification process might be necessary.

"I don’t mind shaking the tree for the betterment of the sport because I think this is what will defend the sport into the future," he added.

"I don’t think it would be longer than one Olympic cycle before we start seeing women on top of the podium."