By Brittany Nelson, USAS Public Relations & Communications Manager
COLO SPRGS, CO (July 16, 2024) – The U.S. Paralympic shooting team earned an impressive nine medals at the 2024 World Shooting Paralympic Shooting (WSPS) Arequipa Grand Prix, July 7-13, the last competition before the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games this summer.
Many of the athletes that medaled are on the Paris 2024 Paralympic Team to include Kevin Nguyen, McKenna Geer, Marco De La Rosa, and Jazmin Almlie-Ryan. Geer, Rio 2016 Paralympic bronze medalist, also punched her ticket to the Paris games at this Peruvian competition. Geer finished first in the U.S Paralympic trials in R4 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH2 back in April but needed to shoot a minimum qualification score (MQS) at an international competition before she could be named to the team. Geer shot higher than the needed score at the Arequipa grand prix, officially earning her spot at the Games this summer.
Nguyen, Geer, De La Rosa, and Almlie-Ryan all earned two medals at the grand prix, an impressive feat for an international competition. Leah Groggett earned a bronze medal in P2 Women’s 10m Air Pistol SH1, bringing the USA medal count to nine. In fact, the U.S had the highest medal count out of all the countries competing. Cuba finished second overall with five medals.
Brenda Silva, the U.S. national Paralympic coach, was recognized for our countries highest overall medal count. The range that the competition was held at, Club Internacional Arequipa, was also celebrating their 130th anniversary.
See below for the full medal results:
- McKenna Geer: Gold, R4 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH2
- Jazmin Almlie-Ryan: Bronze, R4 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH2
- Marco De La Rosa: Gold, P3 Mixed 25m Sport Pistol SH1
- Kevin Nguyen: Gold, R3 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1
- Jazmin Almlie-Ryan: Silver, R5 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH2
- McKenna Geer: R5 Bronze, Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH2
- Marco De La Rosa: Silver, P1 Men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1
- Leah Groggett: Bronze, P2 Women’s 10m Air Pistol SH1
- Kevin Nguyen: Silver, R6 Mixed 50m Prone Rifle SH1
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games kick off this summer Aug. 28 in France. View the full U.S. Paralympic shooting team roster here, the shooting schedule here, and our watch guide for the games here.
Follow @USAShooting on Instagram, Facebook, and X to stay up to date as the team gears up for Paris 2024.