Phelps and Ledecky helped Team USA claw its way back into the fray against China in terms of gold medals. Shooting counterparts, USA Archery, earned a Men’s Team silver medal four hours later.
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Thrasher, who hails from Springfield, Virginia, received her first gold of the Games from International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, The Independent reported.
Finishing a spot behind Sarah Scherer, a fellow American in sixth to qualify and make the eight-person final. As a Mountaineer, Thrasher was the first freshman to win both air rifle and small bore individual NCAA titles earlier this year. She came into the Olympic games ranked No. 23 in the world, and has written an underdog story for herself not soon forgotten.
The 19-year-old US college champion edged out China’s Du Li, gold in Athens in 2004, with an Olympic-record score of 208 in the sport’s new finals format. But to the liberal trolls, it didn’t matter that the sport involves pellets propelled by air. Numerous Russian athletes have been disqualified from the Rio Olympics due to a doping scandal.
“For me, I think that the best part about shooting is you get out of it what you put into it and I’ve had a great five years”, she added, “I absolutely fell in love with the sport of shooting, and I love practicing, I love competing, I love everything about it”. Not bad for a young girl who did not start shooting until just a few years ago.
“So the first Olympic gold medal goes to the United States in shooting”.
On Monday, Campriani matched Thrasher’s gold medal with one of his own in the men’s 10-meter air rifle competition in Rio.
“It’s just an intense feeling of pride for my country”.
In a press conference following the awards ceremony, Thrasher stated that recent gun control legislation distracts from her chosen sport. “But I quickly pushed that thought away and focused on breathing, just taking one shot at a time”.
The United States have climbed to the top of the medal count after two days of action at the Olympic Games in Rio.
Shooting events have been a mainstay of the Olympics, but they have become controversial in recent years.
After a long and grueling competition, team members Will Brown and Jay Shi finished 12 and 18 respectively.
The top five scorers in the NCAA competition weren’t expected from her, but she became better as the game progressed.
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Shi (Phoenix, Arizona) also shot very having climbed as high as ninth before the final string (10 shots).
