Grassroots Games 2016: Shooting
The Paralympics is under way in Brazil, and the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) is focusing on the sports that you will see, hear or read about over the next two weeks.
With 22 different sporting events on show in Rio 2016, EFDS takes a look at grassroots participation back here in Britain.
Today it’s Shooting, with Pete Bonner telling us about still enjoying the sport even as he becomes a veteran competitor.
I first tried shooting about 10 years ago.
I represented my country at the 2013 World Dwarf Games – we trained very hard and it grew my interest significantly. A year later and I’d become a Range Officer, which means I can supervise new shooters on a range.
I won a silver in 2013 in Michigan, my proudest moment playing my sport.
It was a brilliant feeling, and I imagine it’s how an Olympian on the podium must feel, bringing back a medal for your country. I had done it and I was over the moon! All that hard work and then a result – it was a massive pat on the back.
I’m still training, still enjoying shooting.
Now I’m over 50 I attend a session for older people. I have dwarfism, so I use a platform to stand on so I can reach just that little bit higher. There’s also a rest you can use but I tend not to use it and instead go freehand.
At a training session you use rifles and pistols.
You line your sights up and prepare your targets before practicing. There are four targets you aim at, and out of the four once you’re done you see which was the best shot.
I regard myself as a quite a sporty person.
But as I get older I no longer do any running. With shooting the only physical exertion is the concentration and twitching your trigger finger. You have to be mildly fit, which will really help your focus, breathing and concentration. It’s a matter of stamina. So I sometimes do a bit of weightlifting, keeping myself trim.
Shooting is a competition sport, which I really enjoy.
When you hit that top score and you beat other competitors it feels quite an achievement. It’s nice to know that you have that mental toughness – when I’m concentrating I can switch off everything around me.
Shooting is the best thing ever!
You can achieve, and once you do so you’ll realise how much you can get out of the sport. Give shooting a go. Don’t give up after you first try – keep going and eventually you’ll get to love it.
