Lenchu Kunzang

Lenchu Kunzang (born 10 February 1992) is a Bhutanese sports shooter who competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

This name uses Bhutanese naming customs. Bhutanese people have two given names, neither of which is a surname or family name unless they are descended from royal or noble lineages.

Personal life

Lenchu Kunzang was born on 10 February 1992.^[1] She trained as a police officer, graduating from Jigmeling Police Training Centre in Gelephu in 2012, topping her class in rifle shooting, and was later stationed in Phuntsholing.^[2] Along with three others, she was approached by the Bhutan Olympic Committee who were looking for elite shooters from the police training centre.^[2]

Shooting

She was selected to become part of the national team by the Bhutan Shooting Federation in 2013.^[2] Her coach is Kunzang Choden who competed for Bhutan at the 2012 Summer Olympics.^[3] She competes in AR-40 rifle events.^[4]

Lenchu Kunzang was selected as part of the Bhutan team at the 2014 Asian Games, held in Incheon, South Korea. Competing in the women's 10 metre air rifle she scored 398.5 points in the qualification round to place 47th and did not advance to the finals.^[5] At the 2014 Asian Shooting Championships held in Kuwait City she placed 42nd with a score of 382.6. At the 2015 Asian Shooting Championships in New Delhi, India, she placed 14th with a score of 399.0.^[4]

Kunzang competed in the women's 10 metre air rifle event at the 2016 South Asian Games held in Guwahati, India, placing 17th out of 18 athletes with a score of 394.3.^[6]

At the 2016 Asian Olympic Shooting Qualifying Tournament held in New Delhi, Kunzang scored 400.0 points and finished 51st out of 57 competitors. She did not advance to the finals but the score was beyond the minimum qualification score of 392.0 needed for the 2016 Summer Olympics.^[7][8]

At the 2016 Summer Olympics, Kunzang scored 404.9 points to finish 45th out of 51 competitors in the qualifying round of the women's 10 metre air rifle and did not advance to the finals.^[9] She was the flag bearer for Bhutan during the closing ceremony.^[10]

References

1. "Athlete Profile Kunzang Lenchu". 17th Asian Games Organizing Committee. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
2. Younten Tshedup (15 May 2016). "Shooting her way to Rio". Kuensel Online. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
3. "Traditionally archers, Bhutanese gun for glory in shooting". Times of India. 30 September 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
4. "Portrait of the athlete KUNZANG, Lenchu – BHU". ISSF. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
5. Ghalley, Krishna (27 September 2014). "HRH Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck visits 17th Asian Games in Incheon". Business Bhutan. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
6. "12th South Asian Games – 2016, Guwahati" (PDF). shooting,by. ISSF. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
7. "Asia Olympic Qualifying Competition for Shooting New Delhi 10m Air Rifle Women (FRI 29 JAN 2016)". SIus AG. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
8. "List of Olympic Games Qualification MQS Qualifiers per Olympic Event". ISSF. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
9. "Rio 2016". Rio 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
10. "The Flagbearers for the Rio 2016 Closing Ceremony". 21 August 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.

External links

• Lenchu Kunzang at ISSF
• Lenchu Kunzang at Olympedia