For Natalie Smith, being a Paralympian is an honour beyond words. Instead, she showed what the opportunity means to her by winning the Australian Paralympic Team’s first medal of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Natalie contested two events in London, and after placing fourth in the qualification round of the women’s 10m air rifle standing R2 SH1, she produced the performance of a lifetime to clinch bronze in the final with a score of 492.4.

This result was all the more incredible given that Natalie had only started competing in Para-shooting two years earlier, after an injury while hiking in Australia’s Top End in 2009 left her a paraplegic. As someone who had always enjoyed an active lifestyle, with a penchant for wakeboarding and skydiving, Natalie immediately began looking for a new sport more suited to her mobility as a wheelchair user. She gave Para-shooting a go at a Paralympics …

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Date of birth
23 April 1975
Sport
Para-shooting
Past Paralympic Games

London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020

Impairment
Physical Impairment – Paraplegia
How acquired
Hiking accident
Residence
Meadowbrook, QLD
Occupation
Athlete
Started competing
2010
First competed for Australia
2011
Sport career highlights

Winning a bronze medal in the women’s 10m air rifle standing R2 SH1 at the London 2012 Paralympic Games

Favourite quote
Never give up

Disciplines

  • Sport: Para-shooting Discipline: 10m air rifle prone Classification: SH1
  • Sport: Para-shooting Discipline: 10m air rifle standing Classification: SH1
  • Sport: Para-shooting Discipline: 50m rifle 3 positions Classification: SH1
  • Sport: Para-shooting Discipline: 50m rifle prone Classification: SH1

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