Azerbaijani Paralympic athletes rank third at European shooting champ
By Nigar Orujova
Azerbaijani Paralympic athletes have won bronze medals at the European Shooting Championships being held in the Spanish city of Alicante on October 18-25, the National Paralympic Committee said.
The national team, including Elena Taranova, Akper Muradov, Elshad Mammadov and Kamran Zeynalov, competes in shooting at a distance of 10, 25 and 50 meters.
The athletes were successful in the shooting at the 50-meter range, gaining 1,538 points. The championship's winning Russian team gained 1,573 points, while the silver was claimed by Serbia, which took 1,563 points.
Some 170 athletes from 30 countries, including 21 medalists of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, joined this major competition, which is being held ahead of the World Cup 2014.
Earlier, a strategic action plan for the National Paralympic Committee for 2013-2016 was approved in Azerbaijan to prepare for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Paralympics. The plan includes expansion of the Paralympic movement in all regions of the country, the development of professional disabled sport, expansion of relations with international sports organizations, and involvement of disabled children in sports.
Azerbaijani athletes achieved great success at the summer 2012 Paralympics, gaining 12 medals and becoming 27th out of a total of 166 countries. At the Paralympic Games in Beijing in 2008, Azerbaijan won 10 medals, ranking 37th.
Currently Azerbaijani Paralympic athletes take part in competitions in 11 sports.