Thinley Namgay

Bhutan’s lone para shooter Kinley Dem will represent Bhutan in the women’s 10 metres air rifle competition at the 2024 Summer Paralympic Games in Paris, France, scheduled between August 28 and September 8.   

Kinley Dem, 29, from Wangdue, started her shooting career in 2018 and has so far participated in five major world championships.

Having trained for more than a year now, she is optimistic about her maiden participation at the Summer Paralympic Games.

She arrived in New Delhi, India on August 19 with her coach, Dawa Lham, for a crucial five-day training stint.

“I know the competition will be fierce but I am honoured and proud to represent my country. Although I have a disability, such an opportunity inspires me a lot,” she said.

Determined to make the most of her chance, she is eager to learn from international para-athletes and showcase her skills on the global stage.

Kinley Dem secured her spot in Paris through a wildcard entry, after she excelled at the Changwon 2024 WSPS World Cup in South Korea earlier this year. There, she scored an impressive 618.8 out of 654 points in the ranking round, placing her in the top eight. In the finals, she finished fourth with a score of 206.5 points.

Coach Dawa Lham is confident in Kinley’s abilities. “Her performance has been strong in training, consistently scoring between 617 and 624 points out of 654. She has shown great determination,” she said. “We are confident that she will qualify in the top eight at the Games.” 

In shooting, all participants compete at once for the final round and only the top eight are selected for the final round. 

The upcoming training in India is designed to acclimate Kinley Dem to the high-stakes environment of international competition. “The facilities and lighting in other countries are quite different from what she is used to. This training will help her adapt,” explained Lham.

While Kinley Dem faces limited domestic competition, the Coach said that there is a need for more participation in para-sports within Bhutan. “We need more athletes with disabilities to step forward. Our goal is to cultivate a robust talent pool,” she said.

In preparation for Paris, Kinley Dem took part in a final simulation competition organised by the Bhutan Shooting Federation on August 17. This event allowed her to perform before familiar faces and fine-tune her skills alongside two other fellow shooters.

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will bring together over 4,000 para-athletes from around the world, competing in 549 events across 22 sports.