title: The relationship between visual function and performance in rifle shooting for athletes with vision impairment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Paralympic sports provide opportunities for those who have an impairment that might otherwise be a barrier to participation in regular sporting competition. Rifle shooting represents an ideal sport for persons with vision impairment (VI) because the direction of the rifle can be guided by auditory information when vision is impaired. However, it is unknown whether those with some remaining vision when shooting with auditory guidance would be at an advantage when compared with those with no vision at all. If this were the case then it would be necessary for those with and without remaining vision to compete in separate classes of competition.
  
  
  METHODS
  The associations between shooting performance and 3 measures of visual function thought important for shooting were assessed for 10 elite VI shooters currently classified as VI. A conventional audiogram was also obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample size, though small, included the majority of European VI shooters competing at this level. The relationships between visual functions and performance confirmed that individuals with residual vision had no advantage over those without vision when auditory guidance was available. Auditory function was within normal limits for age, and showed no relationship with performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that rifle-shooting athletes with VI are able to use auditory information to overcome their impairment and optimise performance. Paralympic competition should be structured in a way that ensures that all shooters who qualify to compete in VI shooting participate within the same class irrespective of their level of VI.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Medicine, Life and Medical Sciences , University of Hertfordshire , Hatfield , UK.
authors.forename: Joy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Myint
authors.affiliation: Department of Vision and Hearing Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK; Vision and Eye Research Unit, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Keziah
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Latham
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Movement Sciences , Research Institute MOVE Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.affiliation: Department of Vision and Hearing Sciences , Anglia Ruskin University , Cambridge , UK.
authors.forename: Phil
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gomersall
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology , University of Essex , Colchester , UK.
authors.forename: Arnold J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Wilkins
authors.affiliation: Department of Vision and Hearing Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK; Vision and Eye Research Unit, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Allen
keywords: Disability; Elite performance; Evidence-based; Shooting