Shooting is the ultimate test of accuracy and control. The sport has featured at every Paralympic Games since 1976.
In this precision sport, athletes use focus and controlled breathing to reduce their heart rates and improve stability and high performance. This ability to steady the hand and mind to deliver a sequence of shots requires well-developed powers of concentration and emotional control.
Athletes compete in events from distances of 10m, 25m and 50m in men’s, women’s, and mixed competition events.
The sport follows rules of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) in conjunction with its own World Shooting Para Sport Technical Rules and Regulations, which take into account considerations for Para athletes in shooting sport.
Shooting competitions are divided into two disciplines: rifle and pistol, with competitions at three distances: 10m, 25m and 50m.
The competition format is very similar to that of able-bodied shooting sport – the goal of shooting is to place a series of shots inside the centre ring (‘bullseye’) of the target. The target is comprised of 10 concentric scoring rings with a score grade of 1 to 10; the central ring giving 10 points.
Hypertonia | Impaired Muscle Power |
Ataxia | Limb Deficiency |
Athetosis | Impaired Passive Range of Movement |
World Shooting Para Sport caters for six physical impairments. Athletes are grouped according to their activity limitation.
For the Paralympic Games events, athletes are divided into two classes as follows:
SH1 (Pistol) |
Athletes with upper and/or lower limb impairment for competition in Pistol events.
Athletes do not require a shooting stand. |
SH1 (Rifle) |
Athletes with lower limb impairment for competition in Rifle events.
Athletes do not require a shooting stand. |
SH2 (Rifle) |
This sport class is for rifle events only, and is designated to athletes with upper limb impairment (which necessitates them to use a shooting stand to support the rifle), all or not in combination with lower limb impairment.
Athletes are not able to support the weight of the firearm with their arms. |
To be eligible to compete in Para shooting, the athlete’s eligible impairment must meet one or more of the following minimum impairment criteria (MIC).
Eligible impairment | Minimum impairment criteria |
Impaired muscle power | Lower limbs: Decrease of muscle strength of at least 20 points in one lower limb or at least 25 points in both lower limbs across ankle plantar- and dorsiflexion, inversion and eversion, knee flexion and extension, hip flexion and extension and hip adduction and abduction (max. 100 points in both lower limbs).
Upper limbs (rifle): 30 points decrease of muscular strength in one upper limb or 50 points decrease of muscular strength in both upper limbs across thumb opposition and extension, finger flexion and extension, wrist volar- and dorsiflexion, elbow flexion, extension, pronation and supination, shoulder flexion, extension, adduction, abduction, horizontal adduction, int- and ext rotation (max. 170 points in both upper limbs). Upper limbs (pistol): 30 points decrease of muscular strength in one upper limb across wrist volar- and dorsiflexion, elbow flexion, extension, pronation and supination, shoulder flexion and extension, adduction and abduction, horizontal flexion, int- and ext rotations (total of max. 85 points in one upper limb). |
Lower limb deficiency | Lower limbs: Through ankle amputation; or dysmelia resulting in the absence of a full ankle joint.
Upper limbs: Through wrist amputation resulting in a non-functional wrist joint in one arm; or dysmelia resulting in the absence of a full wrist joint in one arm. |
Hypertonia, Ataxia, Athetosis | Lower limbs: Lack of coordination resulting in a functional deficit in the lower limbs restricting joint movement.
Upper limbs: Lack of coordination that results in a functional deficit in the upper limbs comparable to loss of muscle power described above. |
Impaired passive range of movement | Lower limbs: Complete Ankylosis in one ankle joint; or impaired range of movement that results in a functional deficit in the lower limbs comparable to loss of muscle power described above.
Upper limbs: Impaired range of movement that results in a functional deficit in the upper limbs comparable to loss of muscle power described above |
To be eligible to apply for a national classification, athletes must:
This list includes active athletes who have been classified at national and/or international level – Click here
World Shooting Para Sport Classification Rules and Regulations
Target Shooting Ireland is the National Governing Body for para shooting in Ireland. If you wish to get involved in para shooting, please access the National Governing Body link below.
National: Target Shooting Ireland https://www.targetshooting.ie
International: World Shooting Para Sport (WSPS) https://www.paralympic.org/shooting
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