Paris 2024 – Luna Salomon with GPR1 in the Refugee Olympic Team

 

The Olympic Refugee Team is competing also at Paris 2024, selected directly by the IOC to give substance to the word solidarity and the Decoubertinian principles that are the basis of the Olympic spirit.

Already in Tokyo 2020 there was a contingent that competed under the IOC flag also in shooting events; Niccolò Campriani – at the time IOC Sports Intelligence Manager – trained three athletes of different origins: the Afghan Mahdi, the Arab Khaoula and the Eritrean Luna Salomon. Their presence made it possible to talk also at the Games about migratory flows, one of the great crises of the 21st century, and to raise awareness among spectators.

Luna Solomon also participated as a representative of the Olympic Refugee Team at Paris 2024. In the last three years she has continued her training independently in Switzerland and on Sunday she honoured her commitment by completing the 10m women's Air Rifle event. She wanted to be accompanied again by Niccolò Campriani, who in the meantime has become Sport Director for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Luna's participation in the Games is the result of the solidarity that has been able to involve the entire target shooting community, providing her with all the equipment necessary to train and compete. Pardini Armi had enthusiastically joined this initiative of strong social value already in view of Tokyo, providing rifles and technical assistance to the shooters involved in the project, and this time too Pardini Armi supported Luna.

Gianpiero Pardini, founder of the company, underlined that "It seemed natural to invest in a meritorious project, supported by the IOC, which recognizes the positive value of sport and Olympic shooting in particular. Shooting is an educational sport, and this is the time to use it to help those who have been less fortunate".