Team USA Completes European Air Rifle Tour with 7 Gold Medals

[USA Shooting]

Team USA Completes European Air Rifle Tour with 7 Gold Medals
Team USA, comprised of Olympians Lucas Kozeniesky and Ginny Thrasher, along with Olympic Alternate, Sagen Maddalena, wrapped up an exceptional Hungarian Open and Poland Open Kaliber Air Rifle competition, bringing home a total of 8 medals, 7 of those being gold.

20 teams competed in the Polish Open Kaliber Air Rifle Mixed Team event. The Hungarian Team of Peter Sidi (the current air rifle World Record holder) and Roxana Sidi set the pace in Round 1 by posting a 631.8 score that was higher than the World Record, followed closely in 2nd by Team USA with 630.5. The top 8 teams then moved on to the Qualification Round 2.

In the Qualification Round 2, Team HUN (419.8) and Team USA (419.3) finished a close first and second to set up a showdown for the Gold medal round. A pair of two 10.9s shot by teammates Lucas and Ginny sealed gold for Team USA.

Individual events followed the mixed team event. On the men’s side, Lucas led the Qualification round with a 631.0. He followed that up with a strong final to win the Gold by 1.5 points over Lukaszyk (POL). Lucas finished the day without ever leaving the 10-ring, through all 60 shots in the Qualification Round and all 24 shots in the Final Round, earning him another gold medal.

Ginny qualified for the Final with a score of 627.0 which included a strong 105.8 on her last ten shots and a 10.9 on her last qualification shot of the competition. The Qualification Round was led by Aneta Stankiewicz (POL) who set a new Polish record of 631.9. Stankiewicz kept up her torrid pace, winning the Gold by setting a new Polish Finals record, pushing it well over the current World Record with a 253.8. Ginny also shot a strong Final, taking home the Silver with a 251.3.

The last event of the 2020 Polish Open Kaliber tournament was a special “hybrid final” that combined top men, women, and juniors who qualified online from around the world in a live final run via Skype. The unique format combined the qualified athletes on the line in Poland with athletes who qualified on their home ranges throughout the world.

Among the 8 finalists was USA’s Sagen Maddalena, who qualified with a 630.9. She then outpaced some of the best air rifle shooters from around the world in the final to win the Gold.

Lucas brings home 2 gold medals plus a mixed team gold, Ginny brings home 2 golds plus a mixed team gold and a silver, and Sagen closes out the Polish Open Kaliber with a gold.

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[whitefox545]

Great to see some USA shooters getting it done!! Congrats to all of them!! J.L.