Wikinews interviews Spanish shooter Paulo Fontán

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

This year's Spanish IPC European ShootingChampionship team
Image: Comité Paralímpico Español.

This week, Wikinews interviewed Spanish Paralympic sport shooter Paulo Fontán Torreiro. Late last month, Galician Fontán competed at the Alicante hosted 2013 IPCEuropean Shooting Championship, where he finished twenty-third in the R4 10-meter air rifle standing event, and fortieth in the R5 10-meter air rifle prone event.

Wikinews: So you competed at the IPC European Shooting Championships last month? How did you do? Are you happy with the result?^((es))

Paulo Fontán Torreiro: Yes, I competed in the European Championship in Alicante. It was my first important event and I felt very nervous, I wanted to perform well. Despite improving my previous scores and achieving the minimum qualifying score for next year's World Championship, I think I could have done better.^((es))

WN What do you think you need to improve to possibly compete at the 2016 Rio Paralympics and get a medal?^((es))

Paulo Fontán: Basically I would need to be able to train more constantly, obtain financial resources to participate in international events, and have a bit of luck on the day of the competition.^((es))

WN: What are the biggest challenges you face on the road to the Rio Games? Money? Good competition? The support network to travel and compete at the highest level? Disability access at training venues?^((es))

Paulo Fontán: All that are included in the questions. In order to train effectively, you need adequate facilities, and that's not the norm here. And to increase my level, I would need to compete against good rivals, basically at international events. For that, I require money and support, something that's not too available.^((es))

WN: Why did you chose to compete in shooting? Why not compete in another sport?^((es))

Paulo Fontán: I first tried other sports but finally focused on shooting because it fits my capabilities better, I'm not bad at it, and there is a very agreeable atmosphere at the competitions.^((es))

WN: Who are your role models in shooting? Are there any shooters you particularly admire?^((es))

Paulo Fontán: I must thank the support Juan Saavedra has given me since I started, and which he keeps giving me when I need it. I would like to mention Marciano Vázquez, the Spanish national team coach, too for his advice and trust in me when he called me up for the European Championship: I hope to return his trust with some future triumph.^((es))

WN: What is the sport shooting culture like in Spain? Are people generally supportive when you tell them what sport you compete in?^((es))

Paulo Fontán: I don't think it's very well known, and there could be some rejection because of the "pegar tiros" part, but that's out of ignorance since it is mainly a mental sport, a sport requiring focus.^((es))

WN: Do you think the classification system in shooting is fair? Do you think it should be changed?^((es))

Paulo Fontán: I've only been doing this for three years and haven't had time to analyze it deeply so as to have an opinion about it.^((es))

WN: Would you recommend the sport to other people with disabilities? What are reasons they should or should not take up the sport?^((es))

Paulo Fontán: Yes, I would recommend it, and I would because it is a sport which can be practiced by a wide array of different disabilities, and for a long time. The biggest problem is the high initial investment, the lack of adequate facilities or the cost of travelling to competitions since there are not many places that allow people with disabilities to participate.<sup>((es))

Posted by Thom Erik Syrdahl
Sources -</sup> http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews_interviews_Spanish_shooter_Paulo_Font%C3%A1n