Alexandre Augusto Galgani

Started: He took up shooting Para sport in 2012. (esportesdeaaz.com.br, 26 Jul 2016) Reason: "I always liked to shoot and my parents always supported me. My father was in the military and he always encouraged people to shoot, so I went back to the stand to practise. One day, a guy saw me shooting and said: 'Gee, you shoot well. Why don't you start taking part in tests?' I looked at my dad and said, 'Can you help me?'. And then I started." (rededoesporte.gov.br, 28 Aug 2019; esportesdeaaz.com.br, 26 Jul 2016) Ambition: To win a medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (liberal.com.br, 19 Feb 2022) Awards: He was named Para Shooter of the Year by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee [CPB] in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023. (olimpiadatododia.com.br, 13 Dec 2023; cpb.org.br, 01 Jan 2022) Additional Info: BRAIN TRAINING He has used electrodes and neuro-feedback during his training sessions. The electrodes are attached to his frontal lobe to measure his level of concentration, while he also practises regulating his heartbeat through a computer programme and finger electrodes. "This type of control is crucial for athletes in shooting. An accelerated heartbeat results in a greater contraction of the muscles and movement can be disrupted. Too low a beat may make your vision worse." (cpb.org.br, 02 Sep 2017) RETIREMENT THOUGHTS In March 2014 his father passed away suddenly after suffering a heart attack. At that point Galgani considered retiring from shooting Para sport, as his father has also been his personal coach. "I thought about giving up the sport. It was too sad. It was my father who trained with me every day and he was my best friend. My family came in, with my friends, and they said that I should not give up. They told me they were going to take turns, so one day my friends would train with me, on the other day my mother would train with me, and then my brother. I ended up not giving up and I managed to overcome." (rededoesporte.gov.br, 28 Aug 2019)