UAE Paralympic champion Abdullah Sultan Al Aryani grabbed a bronze medal at the ongoing IPC Shooting World Championships in Suhl, Germany, to book himself a spot in the Rio 2016 Paralympics.

Al Aryani, who won the R6 – 50m Free Rifle Prone SH1 shooting competition at the London Paralympics two years ago, made a surprising appearance on the podium of the Mixed R3-10m Air Rifle Prone-SH1 on Monday.

Al Aryani’s feat is commendable beacuse it was a discipline he generally doesn’t compete in.

UAE gold medallist Alaryani sets his sights on Rio 2016

The 43-year-old Emirati scored 189.1 to be placed third behind Korean gold medallist Jinho Park, who held off Great Britain’s Matt Skelhon to register a win with a 211.9 score.

The Briton settled for silver with a score of 211.3.

“This medal is quite special for me especially as I did not expect to do so well in 10m air rifle, which is an event I rarely practice compared to 50m,” said Al Aryani after clinching his bronze medal. “I now feel like I have extra motivation to do well in my other events, the R6 – 50m Free Rifle Prone SH1 and the R7 – 50m Rifle 3 positions SH1.”

Al Ain-born Al Aryani, paralysed from the waist down after a car crash in 2001, had competed in the shooting competition at the Sydney 2000 Olympics before featuring in the 2008 and 2012 Paralympic Games.

“I’ve had this dream since I was a young boy, long before I had my accident,” Al Aryani had told Sport360° after taking gold in London 2012.

“It started as an Olympic dream that turned into a Paralympic dream and now I’ve done it.”

The IPC Shooting World Championships will come to a close on Saturday, July 26.

The top four finishers in each event will gain automatic qualification to the Rio 2016 Paralympics.