Santiago 2023: All you need to know!

Santiago 2023 will mark the second time shooting Para sport is part of the Parapan American Games programme. The Poligono de Tiro de Pudahuel will host 75 athletes from 13 nations during four days of competition from Saturday to Tuesday (18 to 21 November).

There will be ten medal events in shooting Para sport in the Chilean capital (one female, one male and eight mixed events) – these are two more than at Lima 2019. The R3 - mixed 10m air rifle prone SH1 kicks off the action on Saturday with USA’s Taylor Farmer defending her gold medal.

Here is all you need to know about shooting Para sport action in Santiago.

The venue

The Poligono de Tiro de Pudahuel is located in a military compound on the outskirts of Santiago, on the slope of Lo Aguirre Hill. It was opened in 1989 and held seven days of competition during the Pan Am Games in October.

The medal events

Two gold medals will be up for grabs on day one, with the R3 - mixed 10m air rifle prone SH1 followed by the P3 – mixed 25m pistol SH1. Sunday will see two medal events, the men’s (P1) and women’s (P2) 10m air pistol SH1.

There will three finals on Monday (20 November). First the P4 – mixed 50m pistol SH1, followed by the R1/R2 – mixed 10m air rifle standing SH1 and the R5 – mixed 10m air rifle prone SH2. The last day of shooting events on Tuesday will crown Parapan American champions in the R6 – mixed 50m rifle prone SH1 and R4 – mixed 10m air rifle standing SH2.

World champion in action

No other USA state has as many athletes in Santiago as California. And from there comes a shooting Para sport world champion making his Parapan Am Games debut. YanXiao Gong won the P3 – mixed 25m pistol SH1 at the Lima 2023 Worlds two months ago. He also left Peru with two bronze medals in the luggage from the P1 – men’s 10m air pistol SH1 and the team P3 event, alongside Marco de la Rosa and Michael Tagliapietra (who will also be competing at the Parapan Am Games).

Defending gold medallists

All but one of the Lima 2019 champions will be in Santiago aiming for more gold. The United States topped the shooting Para sport medal standings four years ago with five gold, one silver and three bronze. 

USA’s Taylor Farmer (R3), Michael Tagliapietra (P1 and P3), Kevin Nguyen (R3 and R6) and Stetson Barfield (R5) will be competing in Santiago in the events between brackets. 

Brazil’s Geraldo Rosenthal picked two gold medals in Lima and will be defending his P1 and P4 titles. Cuba’s Yenigladys Suarez made history in Peru with her P2 victory and is back for more in Chile.

Local hopefuls

The host nation will have three athletes competing at the Poligono de Tiro de Pudahuel. Rodrigo Encina, Pablo Peña and Rodolfo Urbina are the first Chilean shooters to compete at the Parapan American Games.

How to follow

The Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games will be streamed live on the PanAm Sports Channel.

Complete schedule and results are available here. 

Follow World Shooting Para Sport channels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more information and exclusive images from Santiago 2023.

* The article was originally published on 17 November 2023 and amended to correct the information that there were two (and not three) medal events on day one of shooting Para sport at Santiago 2023.