A pair of Paris 2024 Paralympians are supporting emerging Shooting Para sport talent Liz Langdon on her fledgling journey in the sport.
Paralympian #148 Michael Johnson MNZM and #236 Neelam O’Neill have both offered valued coaching input to Liz, a partial tetraplegic, since she first engaged with the sport in October last year.
Benefiting from their wealth of experience, the Auckland-based mum-of-two is making rapid progress. On her international debut as part of a Trans-Tasman camp at the Brisbane International Shooting Centre she claimed a silver medal in the R5 10m Air Rifle Prone SH2 event and more recently shot a PB of 627.7 to suggest Liz is on the right track to achieve much more in the future.
“What sport can you sign up for and have free access to such quality coaching?” explains Liz, who is based out of the Parafed Auckland Shooting Club in Mt Eden. “It is unheard of. The club has been so generous in lending me a shooting jacket and a club rifle, I’ve been so lucky.”
Raised in the Auckland suburb of Lynfield, Liz grew up “incredibly sporty.” A passionate snowboarder, she also played cricket, squash, football and badminton. However, having just taken up a new role as an account manager for an advertising agency and aged 26 at the time, the trajectory of her life changed forever after she was diagnosed with a tumour – measuring 4.75cm long inside her spinal cord.
Undergoing surgery she experienced complications. This led to major swelling, which resulted initially in a paralysis of the chin down.
“I walked into the surgery perfectly able-bodied, healthy and fit,” she recalls. “I had just started a new job and now here I was in a very different situation,” recalls Liz.
In the weeks and months that followed the swelling eased and Liz gained greater movement. However, as a partial tetraplegic, Liz to this day has limited movement on her left side and right arm and poor balance. She can walk short distances but occasionally requires a wheelchair.
Yet Liz has never let her disability define her.
“I’m a glass half full type of person, so you either cry about it or accept it and get on with your life,” she explains. “If I hadn’t had the surgery my body would have slowly shut down. I’m very lucky because if you look at my current scans I probably shouldn’t be breathing on my own, let alone walking or talking. The body can do amazing things.”
Married to long-term partner, Nick, Liz thankfully made a rapid recovery and within eight months of surgery she was working part-time and driving again. She later gave birth to two children – Charlotte, 12, and Maxson, 9, – but sport took a back seat post-surgery because “I couldn’t run, swim, catch or throw.”
Yet it was while viewing TVNZ’s coverage of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games which was to provide the trigger for a revitalisation of her sporting ambitions.
“I thought while watching the Games there must be something I can do,” explains Liz, who works as an advertising and marketing contractor. “I watched a lot of sports and thought why have I not thought of Shooting Para sport before because I used to do a bit of target shooting in the garden with my brother. I did a Google search it took me to Paralympics New Zealand, and PNZ put me in touch with Michael (Johnson).”
Invited to a training camp organised by Michael, who had just arrived back from his sixth Paralympic Games where he had finished fifth in the R4 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH2, she was excited by her first experience.
“It was great fun and reminded me of backyard shooting as a teen,” says Liz. “From the very first session I loved it and knew I wanted to pursue it further. Shooting (Para sport) is so inclusive, it adapts to whatever physical disability you have, which is amazing.”
Despite the challenge of having no feeling in her hands and consequently her finger being unable to feel the trigger, Liz has already made a big impact.
“From the first hour I worked with Liz I realised she was a natural,” explains Michael, a three-time Paralympic medallist. “I quickly noticed once she puts her mind to something she just goes for it. She has a good attitude, is super positive and has a talent for shooting.”
Neelam, who finished tenth in the P2 Women’s 10m Air Pistol SH1 at Paris 2024, echoes Michael’s view.
“Straight off the back I knew Liz had a lot of potential,” she explains. “She was very keen to learn and understand the sport. It was refreshing to see someone new to the sport who was that committed, and it is great to have another female shooting too.”
Besides input from Michael and Neelam she was also given guidance from Paralympian #171 Jan Apel, who competed in Para sailing at London 2012, but later took up Shooting Para sport.
The progress has been impressive. Having previously competed in a number of Auckland-based competitions, last month she made her international debut in Brisbane. Approaching the competition with “no expectations” she was more than satisfied to come away with a silver medal.
“I’m definitely not super awesome but I think I’m doing alright given I only took up the sport nine or ten months ago,” explains Liz. “I’m quite competitive and what I like about the sport is trying to better myself.”
Less than a year into her Shooting Para sport journey Liz is excited for what the future holds. So, what does the Mangere Bridge-based mum want to achieve in her chosen sport in the future?
“I want to go as far as I can. I started this journey watching the Paralympic Games and although I know it will not be an easy road, it would be a dream of mine to one day compete at a Paralympic Games,” she explains.
Neelam and Michael insist that her dreams can become reality.
“It’s exciting to have another SH2 shooter like me, we’ve not had that for a while. She’s making good progress, scoring in the 620s. If she can get up to the 630s she can finish in the top 20 or 30 in the world. If she scores 640s she will be making finals.”
Neelam has no doubt about what Liz can go on and achieve.
“Liz has a drive to succeed which reminds me of when I first started in the sport, it is really refreshing to see,” she adds. “I have no doubt that one day I will be shooting alongside her at a Paralympic Games.”
***To find out more about Shooting Para sport go here
