Yin Man only started shooting pistols at the age of 47 but she already has a national title to her name and plans to conquer even bigger stages.
The Mitcham native was not much of a sports fan when complications from an ear infection led to her having her left leg amputated.
A chance encounter with a poster advertising the LimbPower Games while attending a rehab session, however, changed everything.
Man decided to attend a try-out rifle shooting session, despite previously being unaware of the sport, and her natural talent saw her scouted to join the Paralympics development team.
Two years later she has earned national success and hopes to compete at LA 2028.
“I fell into it completely by accident,” she said. “I had never done sport before - not even any exercise - or heard anything about rifle shooting, but the first time I tried it I just loved it.
“You’re in your own zone, it’s a challenge and you get to meet people from different places with different stories.”
The 49-year-old was rushed to hospital in 2016 for emergency surgery, but with doctors suspecting her previous cancer diagnosis had spread to her blood, she underwent an amputation within 24 hours.
Little did Man know that this would take her life in a completely new and exciting direction - one that centred around sport and competition that she previously had no interest in exploring.
“After I did the LimbPower Games, I signed up for Disability Shooting to do a few camps, and they introduced me to the basics which really gave me the confidence to move ahead with the sport," she said. "I swim four times a week now too.
“After having my amputation, sport has become a constant part of my life. It’s given me a focus, encouraged me to go out and meet people and to have confidence in myself.”
Man is one of 50 athletes across a multitude of sports supported by a partnership between SportsAid and Pitching In, a multimillion-pound grassroots sport programme established by Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral.
With instant ambitions of taking the sport a step further, the sticking point was the fact Man did not have a rifle of her own, but SportsAid funding has helped tick that off her bucket list.
“I had a few problems with my pistol, so I used the funding to buy a new one. I’m hoping that will make me more confident and competent because having a stable pistol is really important," she said.
“It’s one of the most important pieces of equipment in the sport because the grip has to be correct and you have to be comfortable with it. You can’t alter a club gun, so to have my own gun and be able to know it, it’s a must.
“SportsAid funding has also helped me with travel because train fares and hotels for competitions can be really expensive. I don’t work so everything adds up but now I don’t have to worry about those costs.”
Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, is proud to be championing the next generation of British sporting heroes by providing talented young athletes with financial support and personal development opportunities in partnership with SportsAid. Visit entaingroup.com to find out more.
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