2008 Beijing Paralympics Shooter - Libby Kosmala

Statistics

Date Of Birth: July 8, 1942
Sport: Shooting
Discipline/Event: SH1 R2 Women’s Air Rifle Standing, SH1 R3 Mixed Air Rifle Prone, SH1 R6 Mixed .22 Prone and SH1 R8 Sport Rifle .22
Disability: Paraplegia
How Acquired: Birth
Residence: Klemzig, South Australia
Occupation: Public relations/fundraising
First Time Competed In Your Sport: 1972
First Time Competed For Australia: 1976
Best International Results: 4 gold and 4 world records for Air Rifle Shooting at 1984 Paralympics, gold and bronze at 2002 World Championships in Korea
Paralympic Games Experience: Tel Aviv 1968, Heidelberg 1972, Toronto 1976, Arnhem 1980, Stoke Mandeville 1984, Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004
Greatest Sporting Moment: Her first gold medal in 1976 for Smallbore shooting and gold for Air Rifle in 1980 when her husband Stan also won gold for Lawn Bowls

Biography

You could call Libby Kosmala a superwoman. Not only has she successfully raised two sons and supported a gold-medallist husband, but she is a Paralympic medallist herself. Born with paraplegia, Libby always had an interest in sport. But it was not until she first represented Australia in the Commonwealth Games in 1970 that the nation saw her talent.

With more than 30 years experience in shooting, Libby could be described as a legend in the sport, with countless medals and titles to her name. The 1984 Games were particularly successful for Libby, as she won four gold medals and made four world records in Ai Rifle Shooting at the Paralympics in Britain.

The best year for Libby personally, however, was in 1980. Both she and her husband won gold medals at the same time - for Shooting and Lawn Bowls respectively.

More recently, Libby won the 2007 Open European Championships in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing.

On top of an already hectic life, Libby is a public relations agent for the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of South Australia.

With a fine track record, she is looking to add another medal to her swag at Beijing.