'Proud' shooter Stewart finishes 13th on Paralympic debut

A proud Lesley Stewart finished 13th in the R8 Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions qualification after three years out with a major injury.

Stewart finished two places ahead of ParalympicsGB team-mate Lorraine Lambert in a high-scoring qualification event.

The Blairgowrie shooter scored 1133, just 14 off the eighth and final qualifying spot, while Lambert ended in 15th with a score of 1121.

Both shooters were consistent as they moved through the three positions of kneeling, prone and standing, neither shooting below 90.

Sweden’s Anna Norman qualified with a new qualification world record of 1177, shooting four 100s and never dropping under 94.

“It has been a great experience for me at my first Paralympic Games,” said the 42-year-old Stewart.

“I only qualified for these Games two months ago, so it has been a very quick turnaround from qualification to performing here in Tokyo.

“After three years out with major injury, I am so proud to have made it here and be part of a great team.

“This will make me stronger and know more about performing at major Games and I will reflect and learn from the experience.

“The support from the whole team has been immense as has the welcome here in Tokyo.”

For Portsmouth’s Lambert, it was a case of what might have been, though her time in Tokyo is not done yet.

Lambert added: “Today’s performance really does not reflect where I have been in training so I am frustrated that I was not able to be in contention for the final. 

“I had a difficult start in the kneeling but pushed through and finished strongly in the standing element so I’m proud that I continued to fight.

“However I have another opportunity to compete in the 50m prone event on Sunday and I am now going to put this behind me and focus fully on that event.”