By Brittany Nelson, USAS Public Relations & Communications Manager
COLO SPRGS, CO (Aug 25, 2022) – USA Shooting’s Paralympic team came home with a total of 16 medals from the 1st Open Arequipa, Peru, Paralympic Grand Prix, Aug. 14-24.
The team had three medal sweeps, taking home all three awards in 25m Sport Pistol Mixed P3, Men’s 10m Air Pistol P1, and 50M Smallbore Rifle R6 SH1 Prone.
Sweep: L to R: Kevin Nguyen, John Joss, and Nick Beach with their 50m Smallbore R6 SH1 Prone.
The Paralympic team was supported by team leaders and loaders; Brenda Silva, Matt Schwartzkopf, and Gregg Rice.
Athletes won medals across multiple disciplines to include Air Rifle, Smallbore Rifle, Air Pistol, and Sport Pistol.
Kevin Nguyen, a Staff Sgt. with the Army Marksmanship Unit and a 2020 Tokyo Paralympian, won silver in both 50m Smallbore R6 SH1 Prone and 10m Air Rifle R3 SH1 Prone.
Jazmin Almlie-Ryan, also a 2020 Tokyo Paralympian, took home three gold medals, one for 10m Air Rifle R5 SH2 Prone, one for 10m Air Rifle R4 SH2 Standing and one for 50m Smallbore R9 SH2 Prone.
Stetson Barfield, a 2020 Tokyo Paralympian, earned silver in 10m Air Rifle R5 SH2 Prone.
Mike Tagliapietra, from Colorado, earned bronze in Men’s 10m Air Pistol P1 and silver in 25m Sport Pistol P3.
YanXiao Gong, a 2020 Tokyo Paralympian, earned silver in Men’s 10m Air Pistol P1, and gold in both 25m Sport Pistol P3, and 50m Free Pistol P4.
John Joss, a 2020 Tokyo Paralympian and a Sgt. 1st Class in the Army’s World Class Athlete Program, won gold in 50m Smallbore R6 SH1 Prone.
Marco DeLa Rose, from Texas, earned gold in 10m Air Pistol Men P1 and bronze in Sport Pistol Mixed P3.
Robert Beach, from Ohio, earned bronze in 50m Smallbore R6 SH1 Prone and gold in 10m Air Rifle R3 SH1 Prone.
Up next for the Paralympic team are the World Shooting Para Sport World Championships Nov. 3-18, in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.