Virginia “Ginny” Thrasher, who won the first gold medal of the Rio Olympics for Team USA, on Saturday spoke out about gun control laws sparking debate in the US shortly after taking home the top prize at the women’s 10-meter air rifle competition.
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She continued to say that those of us up in arms about not having enough background checks for gun purchasers need to check ourselves. “I started to realize it was a real possibility about halfway through but I pushed that quickly out of my mind”.
Today, the world was taken aback as Thrasher won the first gold medal of the Rio 2016 games.
Shortly after discovering that her sport is shooting, the young girl started practicing with the air rifle team at West Springfield High School and won air rifle state championship in 2015. “It went from waking up at 5 a.m. (Saturday), doing all my prematch routines and then getting on the bus and going to the range and shooting what was a very hard qualification round for me and having a final that was just an honor to be a part of”.
“Being able to win it and stand on the podium and hear my nation’s anthem was a very pride-instilling moment for me”.
“I remember watching the Games”, she said, “and watching the men’s air rifle event and not even knowing the rules or how it works”. First came Chase Kalisz, the 22-year-old protégé of Michael Phelps, who swam his fastest time ever to win a silver medal in the men’s 400 individual medley. Only 19 and in just her second worldwide competition, Thrasher won the Rio Games’ first gold medal.
She followed that with a 10.4.
The 19-year-old American edged out China’s Du Li, gold in Athens in 2004, with an Olympic-record score of 208.
If what Thrasher says is true and she indeed has this hard of a time getting ammo for something she does as a sport and something she brought gold medal pride to her country for, then there’s a gap somewhere in the process that needs to be filled. “Going into the last shot, I was just trying to shoot a 10 because I knew that is what I needed”. Yards ahead of her lay a dead whitetail deer.
The ensuing seven hours were so packed with media interviews that Thrasher didn’t return to the Olympic village until 11 p.m. Saturday.
“I focused on breathing, I was here to give it my best shot”. That is no longer an option.
“It was something I loved, but it was a hobby”, she said. “I’m only communicating with those who can help me refocus for my next match”.
Her next competition is the women’s 50-meter rifle 3-positions on Thursday.
Watch live: Women’s gymnastics begins with qualifications. Fortunately for her, she stood her ground, aimed well and gripped the gun tight for a gold medal.
“So much pressure for me”, said Yi.
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Vietnam has won two Olympic silvers prior to the 2016 Games, one from weightlifting and the other from taekwondo.
