By USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (September 11, 2026) – USA Shooting continued to build momentum on the road to the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games with a dominant performance at the 2026 World Shooting Para Sport (WSPS) Grand Prix in Arequipa, Peru. Competing against 71 athletes from 11 nations, Team USA topped the medal standings with 15 medals, including eight gold, four silver, and three bronze, while demonstrating the depth of its Paralympic rifle and pistol programs through multiple podium finishes and finals appearances.

The Americans made an immediate statement in the mixed team events, capturing four of the six available team medals. YanXiao Gong and Tricia Downing teamed up to win gold in the P6 Mixed Team 10m Air Pistol SH1, while Team USA swept the podium in the R10 Mixed Team 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1 event. Leah Groggett and Toai Nolan claimed gold after defeating teammates Taylor Farmer and Landon Ruggera in an all-American gold medal match, while Darcy Dixon and Steve Hutchcraft secured bronze to complete a remarkable sweep.

Steve Hutchcraft, Bronze, R10 Mixed Team 10m Air Rifle SH1

Gong emerged as one of the competition’s standout athletes, adding two more gold medals in the individual pistol events. The Paris Olympian claimed the P3 Mixed 25m Pistol SH1 title before following it with another victory in the P4 Mixed 50m Pistol SH1, completing a three-gold performance in Peru.

YanXiao Gong, 3x WSPS Arequipa Grand Prix Medalist

The rifle squad matched that success throughout the week.

Zach Jackson led the way with three individual medals, highlighted by gold in the R7 Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1. He also earned silver in both the R1 Men’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 and the R6 Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1, consistently placing himself among the world’s best across multiple rifle disciplines.

Zach Jackson, 3x WSPS Arequipa Grand Prix Individual Medalist

Farmer also delivered a standout performance, capturing gold in both the R2 Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 and R8 Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1 before adding silver alongside Ruggera in the R10 Mixed Team event. Her three-medal week highlighted the continued rise of one of Team USA’s Paralympic talents.

Benjamin Hays contributed another gold medal in the R4 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH2 event, while Ruggera earned individual silver in the R3 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1. Nolan added bronze in the same event to go along with his team gold, and Marco De La Rosa rounded out the American medal count with bronze in the P1 Men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1.

Ben Hays, Gold, R4 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH2

The success extended beyond the podium. Ty Goede advanced to two pistol finals, finishing fourth in P3 Mixed 25m Pistol SH1 and fifth in P4 Mixed 50m Pistol SH1. Madison Champion recorded fourth in the R5 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH2 final and fifth in R4 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH2, while Adessa Nolan finished fourth in R4. Hays added another finals appearance with a fifth-place finish in R5, and De La Rosa reached his second final of the week, placing sixth in P3.

The performances in Arequipa underscore the continued growth of USA Shooting’s Paralympic program. With established veterans leading the medal count and a talented group of emerging athletes gaining valuable international experience, Team USA continues to build the depth necessary to compete for medals when the Paralympic Games return to American soil in Los Angeles in 2028.

Madison Champion and Ben Hays, R5 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH2

USA Shooting Medalists 

Gold (8)

YanXiao Gong & Tricia Downing – P6 Mixed Team 10m Air Pistol SH1

Leah Groggett & Toai Nolan – R10 Mixed Team 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1

YanXiao Gong – P3 Mixed 25m Pistol SH1

YanXiao Gong – P4 Mixed 50m Pistol SH1

Benjamin Hays – R4 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH2

Zach Jackson – R7 Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1

Taylor Farmer – R2 Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1

Taylor Farmer – R8 Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1

Silver (4)

Taylor Farmer & Landon Ruggera – R10 Mixed Team 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1

Landon Ruggera – R3 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1

Zach Jackson – R1 Men’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1

Zach Jackson – R6 Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1

Bronze (3)

Darcy Dixon & Steve Hutchcraft – R10 Mixed Team 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1

Toai Nolan – R3 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1

Marco De La Rosa – P1 Men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1

 

Additional Finals

Ty Goede – 4th, P3 Mixed 25m Pistol SH1

Madison Champion – 4th, R5 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH2

Adessa Nolan – 4th, R4 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH2

Ben Hays – 5th, R5 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH2

Madison Champion – 5th, R4 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH2

Ty Goede – 5th, P4 Mixed 50m Pistol SH1

Marco De La Rosa – 6th, P3 Mixed 25m Pistol SH1

  

Stay Connected

Website | Events | Instagram | Facebook | X | YouTube | Flickr

About USA Shooting

USA Shooting, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the Olympic & Paralympic Shooting Sports in April 1995. The organization develops and implements programs to promote growth in the sport and serves as a sanctioning body for local and national competitions. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center, USA Shooting has a full-time staff dedicated to our sport.