Shooting Para Sport

Shooting Para sport (formerly Para-shooting) events are held in both pistol and rifle. There are two classifications for the sport: SH1 for competitors who do not need a shooting stand and SH2 for those that use a shooting stand to support the firearm’s weight.  Some events are separate for men and women and others are mixed.

Shooting Para sport has been part of the Paralympic Games since Toronto in 1976. Impaired athletes practice shooting in more than 50 countries today.

The objective is to place a series of shots inside the centre ring of the bullseye of the target. The target is comprised of 10 concentric scoring rings with a score grade from one to 10 from the outside ring in; the centre ring earns 10 points. In the final round, the rings are subdivided into more scoring zones with 10.9 being the highest possible score.

Each weapon division features both air gun and 22-calibre events. Competitors compete from a standing position or wheelchair at three different distances: 10, 25 and 50 metres. They accumulate points based on the value of each shot. Each competition consists of a qualification and a final round. The score in the final round is added to the athlete's score in the qualification round. The winner is the competitor who gathers the most points by the end of the competition.

Shooters compete in all male, all female, or mixed-gender competitions. The rules of each event are dependent on the gun, distance, target, shooting position, number of shots and the time limit used. They consider the differences that exist between shooting for the able-bodied and shooting for persons with a disability.

Shooting is governed by the IPC through the International Paralympic Shooting Committee following the modified rules of the International Shooting Sport Federation.  The Shooting Federation of Canada is the National Sport Organization.