2004 FINAL OLYMPIC RIFLE, PISTOL and RUNNING TARGET TEAM TRIALS
FORT BENNING, Ga. – As the men’s prone and women’s air rifle events drew to a close Thursday at Fort Benning’s Pool Ranges, people held their breath knowing it was time to nominate the next group of competitors to the 2004 Olympic Team. The only thing people still wondered was who had actually made the Team.
Matt Emmons (Brown Mills, N.J.) was an obvious taker. Emmons has been shooting terrifically since he arrived in Ga., and has made it a goal to compete in all three events at his first Olympic Games. This is a feat that has rarely been done, but Emmons could make look easy. Emmons finished this second event with a 1,999.2 aggregate score, and won the 50m prone event by over two points.
“That’s the goal,” Emmons said. “And I am really confident with my three-position shooting. The more competitions I go through the less pressure there is to make the team. I am also getting a lot more practice at approaching the events.”
Major Mike Anti (Winterville, N.C.) was the surprise addition to the Olympic Team. Anti hit a 597 today and finished with a 1,996.6. Anti beat out his long-time friend Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Tamas (Columbus, Ga.) for the second spot in the men’s prone event. Tamas, who had led throughout the first two days of this event, hit a 592 in today’s qualifying round and ended with a 1,994.5
Anti also expects to qualify in men’s three-position. “It is normally my strongest event, as well,” Anti said. “I knew I had a chance at men’s prone, but I also knew that it meant someone would have to mess up. Unfortunately, it was not Tamas’ day. He is a good friend, and I know he is a better prone shooter. But it just wasn’t his day.”
It was, however, Emily Caruso’s day. Caruso, of Fairfield, Conn., continued her dominance in women’s air and clinched a spot on the Olympic Team. Caruso missed a spot on the 2000 Olympic Team by less than a point, and decided it wouldn’t happen again in 2004. She rounded out this event with a 1,397.2, about eight points higher than her next competitor, Spc. Hattie Johnson (Athol, Idaho). Johnson, on the other hand, didn’t even know she had won until a teammate came up to her to shake her hand.
“I was really disappointed at first,” Johnson said. “I looked up at my score and thought ‘I just lost.’ I had no idea I had, in fact, won.”
Newsline No. 6 ◄
Editor: Sara Greenlee
Yesterday
AT THE RANGES
Women’s 10m Air Rifle Matches and Finals
Men’s 50m Prone Rifle Matches and Finals
Men’s Rapid Fire Pistol Official Training
Men’s Running Target Official Training
Today
AT THE RANGES
Women’s 10m Air Rifle Matches, Finals and Award
Men’s 50m Prone Rifle Matches, Finals and Awards
Men’s Rapid Fire Pistol Matches
Men’s Running Target Official Training
Friday
AT THE RANGES
Men’s Rapid Fire Pistol Matches, Finals and Awards
Men’s Running Target Matches and Finals
Men’s Three-Position Rifle Official Training.
Saturday
AT THE RANGES
Men’s Running Target Matches and Finals
Men’s Three-Position Rifle Matches and Finals
Men’s Air Pistol Official Training
Women’s Sport Pistol Official Training
Men’s Prone
Final Overall Standings
Top -10
1. Matt Emmons, 1,999.2; 2. Mike Anti, 1,996.6; 3. Tom Tamas, 1,994.5; 4. Joseph Hall, 1,988.0; 5. Ken Johnson, 1,987.5; 6. Eric Uptagrafft, 1,987.2; 7. Chris Abalo, 1,983.2; 8. Trevor Gathman, 1,883.0. 9. Tarl Kempley, 1,882.0; 10. Vincent Pestilli, 1,875.8.
Women’s Air Rifle
Final Overall Standings
Top-10
1. Emily Caruso, 1,397.2; 2. Hattie Johnson, 1,389.6; 3. Deena Wigger, 1,387.8; 4. Sarah Blakeslee, 1,387.5; 5. Morgan Hicks, 1,386.4; 6. Jamie Beyerle, 1,383.7; 7. Melissa Mulloy-Mecozzi, 1,383.2; 8. Sarah Bergman, 1,275.6; 9. Amber Darland, 1,273.9; 10. Casey Gabriel, 1,271.4.
For full results, please log onto www.usashooting.org.
Thursday's Newsline from the Olympic Tryouts
Moderators: pilkguns, m1963, David Levene, Spencer, Richard H