Paris 2024 Paralympics: Shooting Para sport day one preview

Day one of shooting Para sport competition will witness three Paralympic champions being crowned at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre, a familiar venue for many of the participants in central France, on 30 August (Friday).

Here you can find the complete schedule and the main stars to follow on day one at Paris 2024.

Prominent Names 

The R2 - women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 final will begin the shooting Para sport action in Paris where one can expect a fascinating contest –different champions emerged in major championships. 

India’s shooting star Avani Lekhara is the reigning Paralympic champion and the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games winner. She will aim to defend her gold, an achievement which was India’s first ever by a female Para athlete.

"I am excited," Lekhara said. "I am ready to perform for my country and leave victorious. There is pressure but I do not feel it. I will take it as motivation to do my best."

However, the Chinese duo of China’s Cuiping Zhang and Yixin Zhong will be targeting the top spot as well. Zhang is a nine-time Paralympic champion and will be a tough challenger for Lekhara owing to her experience. Meanwhile, Zhong claimed a surprise victory at the 2023 World Championships in Lima, Peru. 

Ukraine’s Iryna Shchetnik will also be eager to win her first Paralympic gold after bronze in Tokyo and silver in Lima 2023. She is the current world record holder when she shot 252 to claim the first European Para Championships in Rotterdam last year. 

🇫🇷 @tdelaforest 🎯

He started shooting at just 8 years old, and now at 46, he's preparing for his 6th Paralympic Games. This year is extra special as he competes on home soil @Paris2024!

Don't miss his incredible story on this week's videos!@tir_ff @FRAparalympique pic.twitter.com/GTUNph8091

— Shooting Para Sport (@ShootingPara) July 29, 2024

Afternoon Session

The rifle final will be followed by the P1 - men's 10m air pistol SH1 final, the first pistol final at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre. Tokyo 2020 champion Yang Chao of China looks in red hot form after his golden show earlier in the year, at New Delhi 2024 World Cup. He also holds the world record with 241.8 set at Changwon 2023 World Cup. 

But promising Indian shooter Manish Narwal will be ready to pose a strong challenge after his golden campaign at Lima 2023 Worlds. He admits he was mentally stronger having worked on various aspect of the game.

The highlight of the first day will be R4 - mixed 10m air rifle standing SH2 final which will have French shooter Tanguy de La Forest contesting for his first Paralympic title at home. De la Forest have wowed his fans with incredible in the past few years, especially en route to winning multiple Worlds titles. He also holds the world record shooting 255.5 that fetched him the gold at Al Ain 2023 Worlds. 

The 46-year-old world champion has never taken a Paralympic medal since his debut at Athens 2004. He intends to put that right when competition gets underway on Friday.

France will be aiming at becoming only the second host nation to claim a shooting gold this century, and the first since Lin Hayan put China on the top of the podium at Beijing 2008.

However, Sweden’s Philip Jonsson is the reigning Paralympic champion. It was also Sweden’s first medal at Tokyo 2020, and he will hope to do it again in Paris.

The Scandinavian nation lead the all-time Paralympic medal standings in shooting Para sport with 24 gold medals followed by South Korea with 23.