Two years from now , Madison Champion might be going for the gold in France . She has already racked up numerous awards and distinctions for her marksmanship skills .
But for right now , the Greenville product needs to train and hope to line up some sponsors along the way .
Champion , 20 , resides now at the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee ( USOPC ) Training Center in Colorado Springs .
“ It ’ s one of three training centers that Team USA has and we specialize on mostly indoor summer sports ,” she said . Champion left for Colorado almost immediately after graduating from Greenville High School in 2020 .
“ It ’ s honestly like being on a college campus ,” she said of the facility . “ The dorms that I stay in are nice and the food here is amazing .”
Champion has been winning at Paralympic Rifle for about five years , competing with the full use of only one arm . She has limited mobility with her left arm due to an accident at birth .
“ I am currently aiming for the 2024 summer games that will be hosted in Paris ,” she said . “ I ’ m still shooting air rifle but I would like to start shooting the . 22 small bore event at a 50 meter distance if I can find the funding .”
Champion claimed the gold medal in the 2019 USA National Junior Olympic Shooting Championships in Colorado Springs ,
Madison Champion training to compete in 2024 Paralympic Games
Madison Champion of Greenville is in training to compete for the United States in the 2024 Paralympics Games .
besting a three-time Paralympics gold medalist , in standing position .
The next day , Champion finished just six points behind a former member of the United States Paralympic Team in the prone position to win a silver medal .
She notes that being in training for 2024 has been an adjustment .
“ Unfortunately , our team coach resigned really soon after I moved up here so I don ’ t have a specific training schedule , but I try to go at least once a day for a couple of hours to train by myself down range ,” she said . “ Sometimes I shoot with my teammates , but as of right now we just do our own thing .” There is also time to unwind . “ When I ’ m not in the range I ’ m either at the gym with our strength and conditioning coaches – I actually love going to the gym the most here – or I ’ m at the local skate park hanging out with a group of girls that roller skate ,” Champion said . She said she hopes to be a lifeguard at the center this summer .
There also is a funding challenge , as Champion , like other Olympic athletes , must seek sponsors because team members have to pay many of their own expenses .
“ Believe it or not but there ’ s not a lot of funding that goes into my sport , so we pretty much have to fund ourselves ,” she said in late May . “ There ’ s a World Cup being held right now in France that the team is competing at , but I did not get to attend because I couldn ’ t come up with the $ 5,000 quick enough . Not only that but the rest of the international competitions this year will roughly cost the same , and I have to pick and choose which ones to go to just because of financial restrictions . The search for a sponsor has been difficult not only because of my sport but also because I have not yet gotten my name out there yet and business and people tend not to believe me . I would like to attend these other competitions around the world , but I have to be financially responsible first .”
Champion was preparing at the start of the summer to compete in the national championships in Colorado .
“ And then in the month of August there is an international competition that I hope to attend if I can find the funding , because that competition is the last chance to be invited to the World Championships in November ,” she said .
Paralympic LIFE D WORDS BY BRAD KELLAR
SUMMER 2022 17 GREENVILE LIFE