Shooting Para sport poses a twofold challenge to athletes, as they must overcome their nerves and defeat their opponent, which is no mean feat. In competitions that can last up to three hours, athletes must place a series of shots as close as possible to the centre of the target.
Shooting made its Paralympic debut at the Toronto 1976 Games.
Brief overview of the rules
Shooters compete in rifle and pistol events from distances of 10m, 25m and 50m.
Depending on the event and the sport class, athletes compete in a kneeling position, standing (or in a wheelchair or on a shooting seat if they are unable to stand) or prone (athletes in a wheelchair can use an elbow support table).
In the qualification round, competitors fire a specified number of shots at a target comprised of 10 concentric rings. Scores for each shot in the qualification round are accumulated to give the athlete a total score, with the top eight athletes going through to the final. Athletes with the lowest scores are eliminated one by one over the course of the final until a winner is determined. This makes for a competition full of suspense and tension from start to finish.
Eligible impairments
Paraplegia and equivalent, quadriplegia and equivalent, impaired or amputated lower limbs, amputated upper limbs, hemiplegia, short stature.
