U.S. Shotgun Team Wins Four Medals at World Cup Final

[USAS]

DUBAI, UAE – Out of the six U.S. shotgun athletes who were invited to the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Cup Finals in Dubai, last week, four returned home with medals.



Only the best shooters in the world receive an invitation to the year’s most-exclusive competition. The decision of who is invited is made by how well the shooter places at the World Cups and World Championships over the season. Invited this year from the U.S. Shotgun Team were Haley Dunn (Eddyville, Iowa) and Connie Smotek (Lyons, Texas) in women’s skeet; Vincent Hancock (Eatonton,Ga.) and Todd Graves (Cusseta, Ga.) in men’s skeet; Matthew Wallace (Fort Benning, Ga.) in men’s trap; and Glenn Eller (Houston, Texas) in men’s double trap. The 2005 World Cup Final took place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) November 19-25.



It was Haley Dunn who started the U.S. out on the right foot by taking the gold medal in women’s skeet on Nov. 21. She also set a Junior World Record and equaled the Final World Record by hitting 96 out of 100.



Dunn has been on a roll these last couple of months, starting with a big win in women’s skeet at the Fall Selection Match, in October. She then dominated the Championship of the America’s (CAT), bringing home a country quota spot for the 2008 Olympic Games in women’s skeet. And, now with this win at the World Cup Final, she looks to be a front-runner for USA Shooting’s female athlete of the year for 2005-- marking a first for the 20-year-old University of Missouri – Columbia student.



Connie Smotek finished third in women’s skeet at the World Cup Final, taking home the bronze medal for the U.S. with a 93 final score. Shan Zhang, of China, took the silver medal with a 94.



The USA’s Vincent Hancock continued to hold the bar high, as he took the silver medal in men’s skeet, with a 148 total score. Hancock finished just one point below the gold medalist Antonis Nicolaides, of Cypres.



A silver medal at this World Cup Final marks an incredible feat for the 16-year-old from Georgia. Since his first ISSF World Cup in Korea earlier this year, Hancock has won a medal at every international event he has competed in. His impressive stockpile of seven medals in 2005 rounds out what may be the best international showing by a shooting-athlete ever.



George Achilleos, also of Cypres, lost to Hancock in a shoot-out, taking home the bronze, while Sgt. First Class Todd Graves, of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, finished 12th with a 116 total score.



In men’s double trap, two-time Olympian Glenn Eller won the bronze medal for the U.S., shooting a 139 qualifying score and a 45 in the final for his spot on the medal stand. Eller was also just one point shy of the gold. Hakan Dahlby, of Sweden, finished on top with a 185.



And finally, in men’s trap, Spc. Matt Wallace shot a 109 qualifying score for 11th. Giovanni Pellielo, of Italy, took home the gold in this event, finishing with a 123, plus a 22 in the finals for a 145 out of 150 total score.



For more information on the World Cup Finals, or for complete scores from this event, please log on to www.issf-shooting.org. For more information on the USA Shooting Team, please log on to www.usashooting.org, or contact Sara Greenlee, USA Shooting’s Media Director at sara.greenlee@usashooting.org.