Paralympics preview: shooting day six

Seasoned stars and newcomers will take the centre stage on day six of shooting Para sport competition at Tokyo 2020 that features two medal events on Saturday 4 September at the Asaka Shooting Range.

The P4 - mixed 50m pistol SH1 will open the day’s action with Iranian shooting star Sareh Javanmardi defending her title.

Javanmardi has already successfully defended her P2 – women’s 10m air pistol title with a world and Paralympic record. 

Tight contest

However, the road to glory will not be easy with top players including P2 medallists at Tokyo 2020 – Turkey’s Aysegul Pehlivanlar and Hungary’s Krisztina David – waiting to compensate the missed chances here. 

Challenges are also likely to be posed by China’s Yong Chao, the Tokyo 2020 gold medallist in P1 event; Ukraine’s top shooter Denysiuk Oleksii, who already picked up a bronze in P3 event; Sweden’s Joackim Norberg, the Rio 2016 silver medallist and three-time world champion. 

RPC’s Sergey Malyshev, a two-time Paralympic medallist, would be also keen to come out with his best show.

The category is also set to witness one of the oldest athletes competing at the Tokyo 2020 Games, Yelena Taranova from Azerbaijan. The 60-year-old, who is a Sydney 2000 silver medallist and Athens 2004 bronze medallist, would be hoping to end her career on a high.

Meanwhile, India would rest their hopes on promising Manish Narwal, who holds the world record in P4 event which he set at the Al Ain 2021 World Cup months ahead of the Games. Bronze medallist in P1 event, Singhraj will also be in action in the category.

Ukraine look to shine

The R9 - mixed 50m rifle prone SH2 final closest the penultimate day in the Asaka Shooting Range. 

Tokyo 2020 Paralympic gold medallist in the R5 event, Dragan Ristic from Serbia would be among the favourites for the title. 

Ukraine would be hoping to get some results with their stars Vasyl Kovalchuk, the Tokyo 2020 silver medallist and Vitalii Plakushchyi, reigning world champion in R4, in the line-up. Kovalchuk is a two-time Paralympic gold medallist in the R5 event. 

Meanwhile, South Korea’s two-time Paralympic gold medallist from Beijing 2008 Games Lee Jiseok would be eager to finish it on the podium after 13 long years. He is also a two-time gold medallist at the Indonesia 2018 Asian Para Games and two-time world champion.

France's 65-year-old Alain Quittet who has a Paralympic bronze in cycling time trial at Beijing 2008, would be hoping to make a mark at Tokyo 2020 [his debut in shooting] before he retires.

Complete schedule and results will be available on Paralympic.org.