Kevin Nguyen

Para Rifle

Date of birth:

10/20/1992

Hometown:

Westminster, California

Olympic Experience:

  • 2024 Paris Paralympic Games: Qualified in R6 Mixed 50m Prone Rifle SH1
  • 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games

Biography:

Kevin Nguyen got his start in shooting sports after enlisting in the Army in 2011 and deploying to southern Afghanistan in 2012 assigned to 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, Comanche Company 1st Platoon.

Only three months into his tour, Nguyen was struck by a pressure plated IED while on dismounted foot patrol. After being medevac out of Afghanistan, he spent the next two years recovering at the San Diego Naval Medical Hospital. Up on his feet 3 months after selective amputation, Kevin fought to stay in the Army, passing rigorous physical fitness tests, weapons qualifications, and field training exercises. Kevin was recommended to the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit in 2014 and a month later attended a small camp at the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. His shooting career officially began in 2015 where he was given the skills and tools to succeed.

In March 2017, Kevin was assigned to the World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) and continues to train and shoot alongside his teammates at the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. Kevin spent the last six years training and competing. He made his Paralympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Competition Highlights:

  • 2024 WSPS New Delhi Cup: Earned the U.S. a Paralympic quota in R6 50m Rifle Prone for Paris 2024
  • 2023 Parapan American Games: Bronze, R6 Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1
  • 2022 Peru Grand Prix: Silver in 50m Smallbore R6 SH1 Prone and 10m Air Rifle R3 SH1 Prone
  • 2022 Winter Air Gun Championships: Gold, R3 10m Air Rifle- (Colorado Springs location)
  • 2022 USA Shooting Rifle National Championships: Gold, R6 50m Rifle Prone SH1; Gold, R3 Mixed 10m Prone Air Rifle SH1
  • 2021 ISSF Lima World Cup: Silver Medal and Paralympic Quota Winner, R6- Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1
  • 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, 20th (mixed 50-meter rifle prone), 36th (mixed 10-meter air rifle prone)
  • 2019 ParaPan American Games: Gold Medalist (R6- Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1)
  • 2019 USA Shooting Rifle National Championships: Silver, R6- Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1
  • 2019 USA Shooting Rifle National Championships: Silver, R3- Mixed 10m Prone Air Rifle SH1
  • 2017 World Shooting Para Sport Gold Medalist (R3- Mixed 10m Prone Air Rifle SH1)
  • 2017 World Shooting Para Sport Silver Medalist (R6- Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1)