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Next stop Incheon for Mongolian shooter Zandraa
Ganbaatar Zandraa is taking every opportunity to compete after qualifying for Rio 2016 at the 2014 World Championships, the first time ever Mongolia entered a team. 16 Oct 2014
Mongolia celebrated National Paralympic Day in Ulaanbaator
“I will participate in three events and I aim to win a medal for all”
Mongolian shooter Ganbataar Zandraa has spoken of his determination to take his performance to the next level at Incheon 2014, after the country secured at coveted qualification spot for Rio 2016 at their very first IPC Shooting World Championships.
Following his seventh-place finish at July’s Worlds in Suhl, Germany, Zandraa is aiming to make it onto the podium at the Incheon 2014 Asian Para Games from 18-24 October.
“I will participate in three events and I aim to win a medal for all,” the 32-year-old said. “I will aim to compete at Rio and I think can win a medal. I believe in myself. “
Whilst Mongolia have competed in shooting at previous Paralympic Games and IPC Shooting World Cups, their progress in the sport has been such that they had never entered a World Championships.
But thanks to a combination of the London 2012 effect and development work done by IPC Shooting to secure more participation, a record number of athletes and countries arrived in Suhl for the biggest competition in history.
“For me, I was very honoured to participate in this World Championships,” Zandraa said. “I am really happy and very excited for my achievement.”
According to Zandraa, shooting is amongst the most popular sports in Mongolia alongside judo, freestyle wrestling and boxing, and para-sport is enjoying a surge in awareness and interest.
The team also receive support from the government, which includes a lifelong grant from the President for both impaired and able-bodied athletes that medal at Olympic and Paralympic Games or World Championships. The National Paralympic Committee is also very proactive in promoting para-sport.
Over the next two years, Zandraa will focus on gaining a medal, even going for gold at Rio 2016, not only so that he can earn a living but so that he can “inspire all disabled people” in Mongolia.
He will line-up alongside over 80 other athletes from nearly 20 countries for shooting competitions at Incheon 2014.
