At just 21, Samuel Mellsop from Auckland is making waves as New Zealand's only vision impaired (VI) shooter competing internationally. Born with a vision impairment, Samuel has navigated through challenging opportunities in sport, but he found his calling in shooting and has already claimed gold and silver medals on the world stage.
In this interview, Samuel opens up about his journey, his achievements, and his goals for the future.
Samuel at a recent tournament, standing with guide on podium in 1st place.
Q: Who are you?
Samuel: I'm Samuel Mellsop, 21 years old and from Auckland.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your journey with your eye condition and how you got into sport.
Samuel: I've been visually impaired since birth, and that has held me back somewhat in terms of participating in sports during my schooling. There were some good opportunities, though, like when my intermediate school had a para sports team. I also spent some time at the BLENNZ Homai campus, where I was able to participate in activities with others who had similar impairments.
In the past couple of years, I’ve also been involved with Blind Sport NZ and the Sport and Leisure department of Blind Low Vision NZ (BLVNZ), which helped me get back into sports. I got into VI shooting by visiting the Disability Sport Auckland Shooting Club in late 2021. I participated throughout 2022, and after getting my firearms license in 2023, I was able to get further into the sport. That led me to competing internationally this year in Europe. As far as I know, I’m the only VI shooter in New Zealand, definitely in Auckland.
Set up at tournament with equipment and target space.
Q: What have you achieved so far in your sport?
Samuel: Earlier this year, in May, I traveled to Germany to compete in the 1st IDE Cup. I participated in two disciplines for athletes who aren’t yet classified under the World Shooting Para Sport (WSPS). I managed to win a gold medal in VIP (Visually Impaired Prone) and a silver medal in VIS (Visually Impaired Sitting). That was a huge moment for me.
Q: What’s next for you?
Samuel: I plan to keep practicing and to compete again next year, but this time I’ll compete as a classified athlete. My goal is to achieve an MQS (Minimum Qualification Score) so I can qualify for the WSPS World Championship. That’s my focus right now.
Q: What advice would you give to someone who wants to get involved in your sport, or other sports?
Samuel: I would definitely encourage anyone interested in a sport to give it a go—you won’t know how much you’ll enjoy it unless you try. I didn’t even know that visually impaired shooting existed until one day I was talking with my dad about the idea, and he got in contact with someone through Parents of Vision Impaired NZ. That’s how I found the Parafed Auckland Shooting Club. So, I’d say to be open to new opportunities because you never know where they’ll lead you.
Want to find out more about Para-shooting or about finding a sport that is right for you? Contact admin@blindsport.kiwi