Francisco Ángel Soriano San Martin facts for kids
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| Nationality | Spanish | ||||||||||||||||
| Born | 28 March 1949 Langreo, Spain |
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| Country |  Spain |
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| Sport | Shooting (SH1-SH2) | ||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Francisco Ángel Soriano San Martín, born on March 28, 1949, in Langreo, Asturias, Spain, is a famous Spanish Paralympic shooter. He is known for competing in many Paralympic Games. He took part in the Paralympics in 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012. In 1996, he won a gold medal in a pistol shooting event. Four years later, in 2000, he earned a bronze medal in the same event. By 2012, he had retired.
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About Francisco Soriano
Francisco Soriano was born in Las Tejeras-Langreo, Asturias. When he was 16, he moved to Belgium. At 26, while working for an elevator company, he had an accident. This accident caused an injury to his spine, making him a paraplegic. He spent a year recovering in Brussels.
Life in Spain
In 1982, Soriano got married. He and his wife decided to move back to Spain that same year. By 2012, he was living in Elche and was retired. Before he started shooting, he tried several other sports for people with disabilities. These included wheelchair basketball, wheelchair fencing, swimming, and archery. He spent three years doing archery before finding his passion for shooting.
Soriano's Shooting Career
Francisco Soriano is an SH1 shooter. This means he uses a pistol or rifle and has good arm function. After his accident, he tried many sports. A teacher suggested he try shooting. He practiced a few times and then decided to buy his own gun.
Early Competitions and Medals
In 1981, Soriano won first place at the Belgian Championship. He then won a silver medal at the 1986 Stoke Mandeville Games. His first time competing in the Paralympic Games was at the 1988 Summer Paralympics. In 1989, he won a silver medal at the European Championships in Ghent. The next year, at the Stoke Mandeville Games in 1990, he won a gold medal.
Paralympic Games and World Events
Soriano represented Spain at the 1992 Summer Paralympics in Barcelona. He was one of only seven Spanish athletes to compete in both the 1992 and 2012 Summer Paralympics. In 1992, he finished fifth in his event. In 1994, he won a gold medal at the World Championships held in Linz, Austria.
At the 1995 European Championships in Finland, he did not win a medal. However, he continued to train hard.
Paralympic Gold and Bronze Medals
Soriano competed at the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta. Here, he achieved a great success, winning a gold medal in the Pistol 50 meter P4, Mixed SH1 event. In 1997, at the European Championships in France, he won two bronze medals. The next year, in 1998, he won a bronze medal in a team event at the World Championships in Santander.
He then competed at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney. He won a bronze medal in the P4 Pistol 50 meter Mixed SH1 competition. In 2001, he won another gold medal at the European Championship in Denmark. He also won gold at the 2002 World Championships in Seoul, South Korea. In 2003, he finished first at the European Championship in the Czech Republic.
Later Paralympic Appearances
Soriano also competed at the 2004 Summer Paralympics. In 2007, he won a silver medal at the European Championships in Suhl, Germany. He then took part in the 2008 Summer Paralympics.
In May 2012, Soriano competed in the Copa del Rey in Spain. He qualified for the 2012 Summer Paralympics in the 50-meter pistol event. He won this event and also placed first in another event. At 63 years old, he was the oldest and most experienced Paralympian on the Spanish team. He was considered Spain's most decorated Paralympic shooter. Even during the 2012 Games, he was already thinking about qualifying for the 2016 Summer Paralympics. He believes that having dreams keeps him motivated. He participated in the 2013 European Championships in October.
See also
In Spanish: Francisco Ángel Soriano para niños
