Former lacrosse player and three-time Paralympic athlete Issy Bailey has announced her retirement from shooting after 10 years representing Great Britain.
Bailey, a former pupil at Rendcomb College, first represented Paralympics GB at a Paralympic Games back in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where she finished 14th, narrowly missing out on the final, and a chance to win a medal, by just five points.
In 2020 at the Tokyo Paralympics, Bailey was selected as Britain’s only shooting representative where she competed in both the P2 Women’s 10m Air Pistol SH1 and P3 Mixed 25m Pistol SH1 events finishing 18th and 21st respectively.
Bailey made her final Paralympic appearance last year at the 2024 Games in Paris, France finishing in 19th position in the P3 Mixed 25m Pistol SH1 event.
Initially a talented hockey player, Bailey first picked up a lacrosse stick aged 13 when it was the spring term sport at her new school.
The now 30-year-old took to the new sport amazingly well, making Rendcomb’s first team, where she won a school’s competition, before securing a spot on the county team.
After a vehicle collision in 2013 left her with a spinal cord injury, however, Bailey left hockey and lacrosse behind and took up pistol shooting during her recovery at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
Bailey has undoubtedly had a huge impact on Paralympic shooting in Great Britain and England Lacrosse would like to wish her all the best in whatever she chooses to pursue next!
Bailey said on Instagram:
“Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to all those who’ve had a hand in my shooting career. I’ll be forever grateful to the coaches, managers, physios, psychs, support crew, sponsors, UK Lottery and, of course, British Shooting - athletes couldn’t do what we do without you all. Thank you so very much for turning me into a Paralympian, three times.”