Paris 2024: Ones to Watch in shooting Para sport

The 10 names in shooting Para sport you should be looking out for when the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games open in less than 100 days 24 May 2024

By IPC

With the countdown to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games well and truly in the final stages, our Sport Weeks provide you with the perfect guide to each of the competitions being contested in France. To round off this week, here are the shooting Para sport athletes to look out for this summer.

Tanguy De La Forest (France)

Image of a male Para shooter competing in an event — @G. Mirand/CPSF

The former CEO of the French Paralympic Committee is the reigning R9 world champion and will be aiming for his first Paralympic medal in front of a home crowd at his sixth Games.

Avani Lekhara (India)

A female rifle shooter in a competition — @Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

At Tokyo 2020, Lekhara became the first female athlete to win Paralympic gold for India. She is now out to defend her title in the R2 women’s 10m Air Rifle standing SH1 in Paris.

Veronika Vadovicova (Slovakia)

A female athlete competing in a shooting rifle event — @Toru Hanai/Getty Images

One of the legends of shooting Para sport, the six-time world champion heads to her seventh Games to add to her long list of achievements. She has six Paralympic medals overall, including four golds. 

Maria Laura del Valle Rodriguez Belvedere (Argentina)

A female athlete poses for a photo after receiving a medal — @Santiago 2023

The Argentinian is set to make her Paralympic debut in the women’s SH2 rifle following a string of improving performances since her competitive debut at the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games.

Park Jinho (Republic of Korea)

A male shooting Para sport athlete aims for a target — @Joe Toth/OIS

The 13-time Worlds medallist and reigning R1 world champion headlines a strong Korean contingent at Paris 2024. The two-time Paralympian looks to complete his Paralympic medal set with gold.

Matt Skelhon (Great Britain)

A close-up shot of a male shooting Para sport athlete in competition — @Simon Bruty/OIS

The three-time Paralympic medallist and reigning R3 world champion is hoping for redemption in Paris after missing the podium at the previous two Games.

Oleksii Denysiuk (Ukraine)

Man stands holding pistol ready to hit target — @Narelle Spangher/ Sydney 2019

A four-time world champion, the Ukrainian is hoping to finally translate his success to the Paralympic podium by securing his first gold at Paris 2024 to add to his two previous bronze medals.

Yan Xiao Gong (USA)

The reigning P3 world champion added the Parapan American title to his collection in 2023, putting him in prime position to claim a first Paralympic medal at his second Games.

Sareh Javanmardi (Islamic Republic of Iran)