Rio 2016 preview: R2 (women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1)
02.08.2016The first shooting medal event of the Paralympic Games will feature a head-to-head between the world champion and world record holder.
The first shooting medal event of the Paralympic Games is the R2 (women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1). It will feature a head-to-head between the world champion and world record holder.
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Slovakia’s Veronika Vadovicova is the reigning world and European champion in R2 (women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1) and will have the chance to be awarded the first medal of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
Having missed out on the podium at London 2012, Vadovicova will be determined to improve on her performance at Rio 2016.
Her plans to do that have gone well in 2016, with win at three consecutive IPC Shooting World Cups in the absence of China’s Cuiping Zhang.
Defending Paralympic champion Zhang is the finals world record holder and one of Vadovicova’s main opponents.
Zhang set the record on her only international appearance in 2015, at the World Cup in Osijek, Croatia, where she beat Vadovicova into second.
Then at a competition in Hannover, Germany, in May 2016 on their most recent meeting Zhang claimed another victory.
Only time will tell who can hold their nerve at Rio 2016.
You can catch the R2 (women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1) on 8 September, the opening day of competition at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. All shooting Para sport events will be contested at the Olympic Shooting Centre.
