Madison Champion, a junior at Greenville High School, received word from the 2019 USA Shooting Team that she has been invited to compete in the National Junior Olympics in the Paralympic Rifle category.  Madison will report to the U.S. Olympic Training Center located in Colorado Springs, CO from 20 April to 27 April.  The National Junior Olympics Shooting Championships (NJOSC) is the only national shoulder-to-shoulder junior indoor championship event.

Madison first picked up an air rifle August 2017 and immediately became a standout.  Her scores steadily improved with the use of only one arm, thus affording her an opportunity to compete at our Area State Championship for the past two years. She has also been involved in Girl Scouts for the past 12 years, is an excellent student, and an outstanding cadet in the NJROTC program. 

In July of 2018, Madison was introduced to Armando Ayala, Assistant Paralympic Coach, and after watching Madison shoot, utilizing the accommodations of a spring supported rifle shooting stand, table, and modified positioning, he solidified in her mind that she was capable of attaining and qualifying for the Junior Olympics and perhaps the USA Paralympic team.  Madison went on to place first in 8 out of 10 events during camp which led her to begin training with Olympic USA certified instructors in Carrolton, TX.

While still a member of the Greenville NJROTC Marksmanship team, and one of its best shooters, this opportunity for Madison to compete at the National level is a first for the NJROTC unit and rifle team.