The Chinese shooting para-sport team has been training hard for more than half a year at an intensive camp, pulling the trigger hundreds of times per day as they set their sights on gold medals at the upcoming 2024 Paris Paralympics.
Inside southwest China's Sichuan Shooting and Archery Sports Management Center, shooters engage in rigorous training under guidance from their coaches. They arrived in December last year in preparation for the Paris Games.
As the competition approaches, the coaching team has introduced simulation drills for the finals. These exercises, while reducing physical workload, increase psychological stress to enhance their mental resilience.
Shooting para-sport events are classified into three categories: SH1 (Pistol), SH1 (Rifle) and SH2 (Rifle) according to athletes' activity limitation resulting from their limb impairment. Rifle shooting involves three positions: standing, kneeling, and prone, with distances of 10m, 25m, and 50m. At the games, the athletes will have to switch between these positions within a tight time frame.
"We now focus heavily on final simulations. Unlike the qualification rounds, in which athletes are allowed to compete from one position within a set time period, they are more pressed for time in the finals," said Wang Ping, head coach of the Chinese shooting team for Paris Paralympics.
Since its debut in Toronto 1976, shooting has evolved into a key event at Paralympic Games. There are 13 shooting events scheduled for the Paris Paralympics, and the Chinese shooting team will compete in nine of them, including men's and women's air rifle standing, men's and women's small-bore rifle 3 positions, men’s air pistol, and mixed 25m pistol.
"There's no difference between our training and that of [able-bodied athletes.] We increase the intensity and make adjustments when needed. Athletes fire over 300 shots a day, and sometimes up to 400. It's a quite large volume even when the results meet standards, and if they don't reach the required score, they must keep shooting. Sometimes, they even have their lunch at the shooting range," said Wang.
The rules for shooting para-sport are similar to those for able-bodied athletes, except that shooters with disabilities can rely on assistive devices. Even so, athletes like Dong Chao emphasize the challenge of maintaining stability.
"The most difficult position is standing, since it requires exceptional core strength and stability of the waist. Shooting in a standing position also involves more imbalance and uncertainty. Therefore, if you want good and stable results, you need consistent practice to hone your skills," said Dong.
The 2024 Paralympic Games will be held between Aug 28 and Sept 8. The Chinese delegation, consisting of 516 members including 284 athletes, will compete in 19 sports across 302 events.
China’s Paralympic shooters gear up for glory with intense training
China’s Paralympic shooters gear up for glory with intense training
