Sornsriwichai targets Rio 2016 shooting medal

“Competing at my second Paralympic Games is very important for me and a dream come true.”

Thailand’s Asian Para Games champion Bordin Sornsriwichai aims to win a shooting medal at this year’s Paralympic Games, to come back from an agonising fourth place finish at London 2012.

Sornsriwichai, who claimed two silver and one bronze at three World Cups between 2012 and 2016, is hoping to perform better in Rio than he did at the London Paralympics, now that he has four years more of experience under his belt.

“Competing at my second Paralympic Games is very important for me and a dream come true,” said the 26-year-old.

“I want to reach the final, but I know it is not going to be easy.”

In London, Sornsriwichai finished fourth in the P1 (men's 10m air pistol SH1). South Korea’s triple Paralympic champion Park Sea-Kyun topped the podium in that event.

“South Korea has really good shooters whom I look up to,” said Sornsriwichai, who trains every day he can take time off his work as a salesman.

“Not just Sea-Kyun, but also Lee Ju-Hee, who won bronze in that same event four years ago.

“London 2012 was my first Paralympic Games and I enjoyed it a lot. But now I know what the Paralympics are about and will get to Rio much better prepared.”

Sornsriwichai’s rapidly improving form is what has made him one of the best shooters in the world. He started competing only six years ago and, by the end of 2016, he will have participated in two Paralympic Games.

“This makes me feel really good, enthusiastic,” Sornsriwichai said.

He admits that the silver medal he took at the 2016 IPC Shooting World Cup in Bangkok, Thailand, is the most special one so far.

“Winning that medal on home soil in front of my people made me feel proud,” he said.

However, he now wants to add more medals to his trophy cabinet, starting preferably with one at Rio 2016.

“Winning the gold in Rio will be very difficult considering I have to face so many good shooters, but I just have to think about myself and giving the best I can. Good results will come as a consequence of that,” he said.

“First I want to reach the final at Rio 2016. If I want to be the Paralympic champion? That is my biggest dream, but I prefer to be cautious.”

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Sport fans from around the world can now buy their Paralympic tickets for Rio 2016 from authorised ticket resellers (ATRs)

The IPC’s Global ATR is Jet Set Sports, and Rio 2016 tickets and packages can be purchased on the CoSport website.

Residents of Brazil can buy 2016 Paralympics tickets directly from the Rio 2016 website.