 2016 Australian Paralympic team portrait | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Australian |
| Born | (1975-04-23)23 April 1975 (age 50) |
| Sport | |
| Country | Australia |
| Sport | Shooting |
Medal record | |
Natalie Smith (born 23 March 1975) is an Australian Paralympic shooter. At the2012 Summer Paralympics, she won a bronze medal. She also represented Australia at the2016 Rio Paralympics,2020 Tokyo Paralympics and2024 Paris Paralympics.[1][2]
Smith was born on 23 March 1975.[3] She was originally fromFitzgibbon, Queensland.[4] When she was 34 years old, she had an accident while hiking that left her aparaplegic.[3][5] Prior to her accident, she was a skydiver and equestrian rider.[5] She is married to Stuart and in 2014 she gave birth to a son Daniel.[6]
Shooting is a family sport, as her grandfather isNorman Lutz who was supposed to represent Australia at the1956 Summer Olympics but ultimately missed the Games because of a heart attack.[5] She lives inBrisbane and works as a nurse.[6]
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Smith is anSH1 classified shooter competing in 10m Air Rifle Prone and 10m Air Rifle Standing events.[3][7]
Smith started competitive shooting in 2010 following anAustralian Paralympic Committee talent search.[3] She made the Australian Paralympic shooting shadow team in 2011.[8] At the 2011 IPC World Cup meet inFort Benning, she won a gold medal in the SH1 standing air rifle event.[3] In the process, she set an Australian record.[5]
She was selected to representAustralia at the2012 Summer Paralympics in shooting.[3][7][9] The Games were her first.[4] There she participated in the Women's 10 m Air Rifle standing SH1 and Mixed 10 m Air Rifle prone SH1 – winning a bronze in the 10 m Air Rifle standing.[10]
In November 2015 at the International Paralympic Committee World Cup inFort Benning,United States, she won the gold medal in the R8 SH1 3 Position rifle event and set a new Australian record of 576 in qualification.[11]
In 2015, she has a scholarship with theQueensland Academy of Sport.[12]
In the2016 Rio Paralympics she represented Australia in four rifle events although did not win a medal, her best result was 5th overall in the Women's R2-10m Air Rifle Standing - SH1.[13]
At the2020 Summer Paralympics, she finished 19th in the Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 and 46th in the Mixed R3-10 m Air Rifle Prone SH1. At the2024 Summer Paralympics, she finished 12th in the Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 and 8th in the R8 Women's 50 metre rifle 3 positions SH1.
She has held a scholarship with theQueensland Academy of Sport.[12]
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