Thinley Namgay

Kinley Dem, the national para shooter, has secured her place in the upcoming Asian Para Games, which are scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China in October this year.

By achieving a score of 609.2 points, the shooter with the Bhutan Shooting Federation met the minimum qualification score (MQS) required from the ongoing Changwon 2023 World Shooting Para Sports (WSPS) World Cup in South Korea yesterday. The minimum MQS required for the Asian Para Games is 590 points.

Out of 22 shooters, she was ranked 16th. Kinley Dem and Coach Dorji Phurba departed for South Korea on May 21, and the competition began yesterday. It ends on May 30.

Officials attribute Kinley’s success in the WSPS World Cup to her rigorous training and view it as an encouraging achievement for other para-athletes. They also acknowledge her hard work as another contributing factor.

This competition marks Kinley’s second appearance in a major international tournament, with her previous participation being at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.

While Kinley had the opportunity to participate in an international tournament in the United Arab Emirates, the plan was disrupted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

She embarked on her para games journey in 2018. Paralympic games were introduced in the country in 2017, making it relatively new for many.

Apart from Kinley, the Bhutan Paralympic Committee is yet to confirm the number of para-athletes from Bhutan participating in the fourth edition of the Asian Para Games.

Bhutan’s preparations for the Asian Para Games remain on track, with training commencing in 2019.

The games, originally scheduled for last year, were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With the theme “Hearts Meet, Dreams Shine,” the tournament will showcase 22 sports and welcome approximately 4,000 para-athletes from 56 Asian countries.