Mathew Ah Chow from our Blacktown rooms, returned this week after an amazing two weeks in Croatia working with the Australian Paralympic Shooting team. Seven athletes from all across Australia traveled to Osijek, Croatia to compete in the 2015 IPC Shooting World Cup.
All of the team members mobilise in a wheel chair due to a range of injuries and conditions. There was also a large diversity in age within the team ranging from 35 to 73 years of age.
The IPC Shooting World Cup took place from 10-14 July, with nearly 230 international athletes from 48 nations competing in the event. This World Cup was a very important event for the Australian team leading up to the Paralympic games in Rio 2016. The Australian shooting team showed incredible skills bringing home five medals, one individual silver, two individual bronze medals, one team gold medal and one team bronze medal. Most importantly the team successfully gained four quota positions allowing another four athletes to enter into the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games 2016!
It was a privilege to spend two weeks with seven inspirational athletes whom have overcome many barriers including disability and age to achieve great results. We wish the team good luck as they compete again in September 2015 in the next World Cup hosted in Sydney.
Written by: Mathew Ah Chow
Picture: Mathew with Libby Kosmala, at 73 years of age she received a bronze medal for the 10m rifle event and will be attending her 13th Paralympic Games in Rio 2016.
