|
Hancock, Rhode Claim Fall Selection Titles in Men and Women Skeet
By Mary Beth Vorwerk // USA Shooting // August 21, 2007
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (August 18, 2007) – The first Shotgun Olympic Selection (Fall Selection) match came to a close today with Vincent Hancock and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Kim Rhode taking the titles in men’s and women’s skeet.
U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) member Hancock, who is the 2007 Pan American Games Gold Medalist and 2007 World Cup Italy Champion/world record holder, finished the competition today with a score of 271 targets. Sean McLelland took second with 268 and USAMU member Mark Weeks finished in third place with 261.
Rhode took the top spot for the women today after shooting a score of 261 targets. A three-time Olympic medalist (1996 and 2004 gold medalist, 2000 bronze medalist) in women’s double trap, Rhode made the switch to skeet following the 2004 Olympic Games after the women’s double trap event was eliminated from Olympic competition. Two-time Olympian Connie Smotek and 2007 Pan American Games Gold Medalist Haley Dunn finished right behind Rhode in second and third places with 260 and 259 respectively.
Jon McGrath claimed first place for the junior men with a score of 259, while BJ Blanchard finished right behind him in second with 258 targets. Hunter Wise took third with 256.
For the junior women, Ali Chiang took the top spot with 243. Emily Blount finished second with 241 and Jaiden Grinnell took third with 238.
The Shotgun Fall Selection match was held August 11-18 at the International Shooting Park at Fort Carson Military Reservation.
The 2008 USA Shooting Shotgun Olympic team will be nominated to the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) based on the aggregate score from both the Fall Selection competition as well as the Spring Shotgun Selection match, which will be held at the Hill Country Shooting Sports Center in Kerrville, Texas March 8-16, 2008. The top six finishers will compete in the final at the Spring Selection Match to determine the 2008 Olympic team. The USOC will have final approval of the team.
All eight quota slots needed to participate in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China have already been secured by the U.S. (men’s skeet – 2, men’s trap – 2, men’s double trap – 2; women’s skeet – 1, women’s trap – 1).
The course of fire at each selection match consists of 250 targets in the trap and skeet events and 300 targets in the double trap event at each selection competition.
Please visit www.usashooting.org for complete Shotgun Fall Selection Results.
|
