Paralympic shooter Michael Johnson. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Auckland shooter Michael Johnson has been selected for his sixth Paralympics.
Johnson spearheads a three-strong Shooting Para sport team has also includes Greg Reid and Neelam O'Neill.
Johnson, a three-time Paralympic medallist, matches the milestone of Graham Condon, a Para athlete and Para swimmer who chalked up six Paralympic appearances between 1968-1988.
The 50-year-old Waiuku-based athlete, who claimed R4 Air Rifle 10m Standing SH2 gold on his Paralympic debut in Athens 2004, earned a slot for New Zealand at Paris 2024 by winning a silver medal in the R4 Air Rifle 10m Standing SH2 event at the 2024 World Shooting Para Sport New Delhi World Cup in March.
Johnson was entered in three events at Paris 2024 - the R4 Mixed Air Rifle Standing SH2, R5 Mixed Air Rifle Prone SH2 and R9 Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH2.
"I remember competing in Shooting Para sport at my first Paralympic Games alongside a fellow New Zealander Colin Willis, who made his fifth appearance thinking there is no way I'll still be competing 20 years later," Johnson said.
"So, to be set for my sixth Paralympic Games appearance is a great milestone and proves that age is no barrier, so long as you continue to perform well."
Meanwhile Reid, who will compete at his second games, will compete in the R3 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1.
The 62-year-old from Featherston made his Paralympic debut at Rio 2016 and secured a slot for New Zealand at the World Shooting Para Sport New Delhi World Cup in March.
Paralympic shooter Michael Johnson. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
"It is a major relief to win selection and I'm really excited to give the Paralympics another crack," Reid said.
"I wasn't prepared to travel to Tokyo (for the 2020 Paralympic Games) because of Covid-19 and I did wonder how many years I had left in me, so I'm immensely proud."
The team is rounded out by O'Neill who becomes the first female to represent New Zealand in Shooting Para sport at a Paralympic Games for 40 years and the first ever Kiwi woman to feature in a pistol event in Paralympic history.
Whangārei-raised and Auckland-based O'Neill said her selection was something she and her team have worked for for more than eight years.
"This is an ambition not just I but my whole support network has strived for," said O'Neill who was coached by Johnson in air rifle and in pistol by Ricky Zhao.
"My goal is to finish in the top eight, but I just hope to embrace the whole experience."
"My goal is to inspire other women to get into the sport."
A very proud Johnson added of coaching O'Neill: "I took up coaching because I get a great thrill from watching others succeed. To see Neelam qualify for the team for Paris makes me very proud and is rich reward for all her hard work and dedication to her craft."
