Shooting: Day five preview
12.09.2016Swedish star Jacobsson is likely to draw another big following to the Deodoro as the shooting competition moves into a fifth day.
Jonas Jacobsson won the gold medal in the Mixed R6-50m Free Rifle Prone-SH1 Final Shooting competition during day six of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.
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All the action on day five of shooting Para-sport will take place at the 50-metre range for the R7 (men’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1) event featuring 24 athletes.
A number of big names will be out in force, including 10-time Paralympian Jonas Jacobsson, who has been drawing large crowds to each of his events at the Olympic Shooting Centre in Deodoro.
The Swedish stalwart will be aiming for a record-breaking fifth-consecutive gold medal in R7. The 57-year-old will become an immortal if he can once again defend his title which he has successfully done since the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games.
Having finished second to Jacobsson at the previous two Paralympics in Beijing and London, Israel’s Doron Shaziri will be praying that it is third time lucky. He goes into the event as the world number one and will be out to spoil the party for the Swede.
Another sharp shooter to watch out for is UAE’s Abdulla Sultan Alaryani, who set the qualification world record (1175) at the 2014 World Championships in Suhl, Germany.
Alaryani has already found his way onto the Rio podium with a silver medal in R1 (men’s 10m air rifle standing SH1). Joining him on the firing line are two of his fellow-Emiratis, Obaid Aldahmani and Abdulla Said Alaryani, who are also strong contenders.
Jinho Park will be targeting nothing less than the top of the podium. He was the bronze medalist at the 2014 world championships but is without a doubt a contender for gold in Rio. If he wins, he will become the first to strike gold at the Games for a promising South Korean outfit.
China’s Chao Dong won gold in R1 on the opening day of competition (8 September), but was unfortunate not to make the final of R3 (mixed 10m air rifle prone SH1), finishing ninth. Dong will be hoping to regain his gold medal-winning form as he zeros in on a third consecutive Paralympic medal in the 50m event.
Andrii Doroshenko will be looking to push Ukraine further up the medal standings with a top-three finish. Doroshenko has been improving since his debut at the London 2012 Paralympics and will have high hopes upon him as the standout riflemen for his country.
