Sonia Rivero, a surprisingly sharp shooter

They both have reduced vision, although to different degrees. Rivero in particular has eleven dioptres per eye, hypermetropia, astigmatism, photophobia, congenital malformation of the eyes, albinism... "A complete package, as I say. I'm the first to take things with humour, because in the end it's adapt or die and these things have to be taken that way, because the world is not coming to an end," she said in a humourous tone that is common in her day-to-day life, in which she struggles to maintain normality.

After a few years of success due to her marked talent, her biological clock asked her to stop in order to become a mother. However, once her children (now aged 20 and 19) became teenagers, she decided to return to her passion. And it was the best decision she could have made, because in this comeback she has continued to accumulate metals. This year alone she has been runner-up in the European Championships, as well as winning gold and silver in the Spanish Championships.

And many will rightly wonder how visually impaired people manage to practise a discipline such as this, in which this sense is crucial.

Competitors have to trust their ears, because each target has a specific light source that turns the target into a kind of sound target. The light coming from the target is picked up by the telescopic sight of the rifle, which converts it into different intensities of sound that reach competitors' helmets or headphones. It's pure technology with an extra helping hand thanks to guides like Antonio Cobo, who works with Sonia.

Regarding his role, Sonia explained that "we have a distance of ten metres with a target that converts light into sound and with opaque glasses that literally leave us blind". "The function of the guide," she added, "is to place you in your position, to see the score and the directionality of the shot, to see that you don't lose your balance, which can be overwhelming if, like me, you have residual vision." It's a millimetrically coordinated spectacle.

For many it could be a difficulty, but Sonia faces it as a challenge just like any other athlete. That's what she has been taught since she was a child: there are no obstacles, only small steps to take. "My parents have always brought me up as any other child. I went out into the street to play and I went to normal schools. 'Special' people are normal, and I have instilled this in my children and we have naturalised it so much that nothing surprises them," she said.

These days, her talent and perseverance have led her to live a dream. Sonia Rivero is in the United Arab Emirates, where she will made her debut this month in her first World Championship in rifle shooting. "I'm going without any prospects, because I want to be world champion, but nerves can be a bit tricky and you never know. However, she does know that she can and wants to be on the podium at the event.