Singapore shooter Daniel Chan aiming high in Paralympics bow

SINGAPORE – The Hangzhou Asian Para Games in 2023 were special for Daniel Chan, for it was not only where the Singapore shooter made his major Games debut, but also where he earned his maiden Paralympics outing.

As he prepares to compete in the P1 10m air pistol SH1 in Paris, the 36-year-old says the Asiad has been the best moment of his career to date.

He posted a score of 565 in the qualification round of the P1 10m air pistol SH1, before finishing fifth in the final to book his ticket to Paris.

Chan told The Straits Times: “It was Hangzhou… just being able to get that quota place. That result was also my personal best.”

Reaching the pinnacle of para sport has always been on his mind, after he started shooting at 29. Chan has Erb’s palsy in his left arm – a condition resulting from a traumatic birth delivery which damaged the nerves in his arm and shoulder.

In an earlier interview, he told ST that he was inspired by shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh, then 42, who won Vietnam’s first-ever gold at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

He said: “I was already serious about this since day one because I started the sport quite late, at the retirement age for most athletes. 

“At that time, I knew that if I wanted to be good, I really have to put in a lot of effort. Through all these years of shooting and training, I believed in myself and my ability.”

Clocking in training sessions six times a week, Chan noted that his biggest challenge is keeping his emotions in check when the scores are not to his liking.

He said: “In shooting, you can put in a lot of hard work but the result isn’t always constantly going up, and sometimes you fluctuate. The biggest challenge is how to look at things positively.

“I’ll ask myself if it’s really worth the time, but that’s part of the learning process and the next day, I’ll be back again.”

Coach Deanne Pheong, who began working with him in February 2023, highlights his commitment to the sport as a key attribute.

“He’s really hard-working and passionate about the sport,” the former warrant officer of 29 years said.

“For him to train six times a week is not easy, but he’s patient and has the determination.”

His goal is to become one of the best para-shooters in the world, and he has also set sights on another target – competing in able-bodied events.

He got his first taste of competing alongside able-bodied shooters at the International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup earlier in 2024, and is now aiming for the 2025 SEA Games in Bangkok.

He added: “It’s fun, and shooting looks so easy but it’s really difficult. So to me, it’s a challenge. I’m really curious to know how all the top shooters do it, and how far I can go.

“It’s not really the skill, but how they prepare and the mental aspect. For example, if they’re shooting scores that aren’t ideal like eight or nine, how do they recover fast from that? These are the things I’m looking to learn to be as good as them.

“I knew the importance of breathing (techniques) before the competition, but during it was when I realised just how important it was.”

At the upcoming Games, he will also get another chance to rub shoulders with some of the world’s best shooters as he targets a spot in the final.

He said: “Our target is to hit my average and reach the top eight. Anything else will be a bonus.”

Chan may have had a late start to the sport but inspired by Vinh and 51-year-old Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec – the Paris Olympics silver medallist who went viral for his cool demeanour – he plans to keep going for as long as he can.

“In terms of skills, there are still many areas that I can improve, but I believe I’m on the right track, and there’ll be a longer runway for me.

“Paris is just the beginning, because in shooting there is no age limit, so I believe I can still go much further.”