Spain’s premier marksman Juan Antonio Saavedra Reinaldo won his first Paralympic medal at London 2012, shooting a 694.6 in the 50m rifle prone SH1 to win silver; he missed out on the gold medal to UAE’s Abdulla Alaryani by 0.2 points.
The 40-year-old Galician also secured his place in the 10m air rifle prone SH1 final after shooting an equal world record score in qualification.
Reinaldo took up shooting after his lower left arm was amputated due to cancer; citing sport as a distraction from the negative aspects of the amputation.
His road to silver at London 2012, began at the IPC Shooting World Cup in Alicante, Spain, in May 2011, where he secured his place on the national team with a third-place finish in the 50m rifle prone SH1.
Prior to his success in London, he competed at two previous Paralympic Games.
A financial advisor by trade, Reinaldo’s hobbies include swimming, going to the cinema and listening to music. He has also served as president of his club, Olympic Shooting Club Lucero, based in Pontevedra, Spain.
