A half-blind China grandma amazes social media by scoring high at an overseas shooting range. - Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin
BEIJING: A 92-year-old grandmother from China who is blind in one eye, turned out to be a crack shot, much to the amazement of onlookers during an overseas trip.
The elderly woman achieved extremely high scores using live ammunition at a shooting range in the central Asian country of Kazakhstan, where she was visiting with her son from eastern China’s Zhejiang province.
The nonagenarian was once a soldier in the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army (CPVA) serving in the Korean war in the early 1950s, the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald reported.
A video of Li Guifang, uploaded on Douyin by her son Wang at the beginning of October attracted half a million likes and 20,000 comments from mainland online observers praising her skills.
Wang said that, at first, the shooting range in Kazakhstan would not allow his mother to fire because of her age.
However, after hearing she was a veteran, they agreed and gave her a small-bore rifle with a sighting device and minimum recoil.
Li’s vision is impaired in her right eye, which has cataracts. So she had to cock her head and rely solely on her left eye when shooting, said Wang.
“It’s more difficult for her than for other people. But she achieved pretty good results by focusing all her attention on the task,” he was quoted as saying.
During one shooting round with a 10-ring target, Li fired 10 shots, landing seven in the inner ring and three in the outer ring, making the total score 97 points.
In another round, the old woman again achieved a high score of 87 points.
The Korean war erupted in 1950 between North Korea and South Korea. The People’s Republic of China, which supported the northern side, deployed the CPVA.
The CPVA comprised about two million soldiers, most of whom were in their 20s, who joined until the war ended in 1953.
Wang said his mother was a signaller and had not been to the frontline.
“But she received shooting training in the military. She did not practice shooting for many decades. As a veteran, she still has some memory about it and would like to try it again,” Wang said.
He said his mother is in a good physical condition and has travelled to more than 60 countries to have new experiences.
“She even skydived,” he said, adding: “She likes to try the same activities as young people.”
Mother and son took the trip to Kazakhstan to attend the wedding event of a young man who studied in China and became a friend of Li’s after she got to know him through a tour guide.
Li’s shooting scores astounded and delighted internet users in China.
“I realise I’m not as strong as a 92-year-old granny. She is such an excellent shooter. Salute to the granny!” one user wrote on Douyin.
“She will make foreigners wonder if China really has banned guns,” another joked. - South China Morning Post
