Chris Pitt

Chris Pitt made his Paralympic debut in Para-shooting at the age of 51, proving better than anybody that it is never too late to live your dreams.

Once a star athlete, Chris was 10 when his sporting dreams were put on hold by a degenerative muscle disease called dermatomyositis. He spent many months in and out of hospital, and almost four decades passed before he found his way back to sport, when he watched a then 15-year-old Rheed McCracken compete at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Watching Rheed, a fellow Bundaberg boy, represent his country with such pride inspired Chris to do the same, and in 2013, he made his international debut at the International Paralympic Committee Shooting World Cup in Szczecin, Poland, where he placed 13th in a field of 37. The following year, Chris competed at his first World Championships, and in 2016, he had the honour of joining Rheed as a member of the Australian Paralympic Team.

At the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, Chris contested two events and shot his way through to the bronze medal match of the mixed 25m pistol P3 SH1. Although he ultimately missed the podium, the fact that Chris was in contention for a medal at all was something which he was immensely proud of, and a feeling which he will carry with him to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in August.

In his spare time, of which he has little – between training, competing and caring for his mum, Chris enjoys fishing.