World Championship Team Selection

[USAMU & USAS]

USA Shooting & U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit

FORT BENNING, Ga. – USA Shooting's Rifle and Pistol Spring Selection Match completed its busiest day of competition thus far as four more events wrapped up and two more rifle World Championship Teams were named April 18.

In the Men’s Free Pistol competition, Staff Sgt. Keith A. Sanderson of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit took first place in his second pistol event of the week, shooting a two-day score of 1,297.8. Sgt. 1st Class Daryl L. Szarenski, also of the USAMU, finished in second with a 1,296.8, while Staff Sgt. John C. Ennis rounded out the top three for the Army, finishing with a 1,291.4 total score. Earlier this week, Sanderson won the Men’s Rapid Fire Pistol Match in which Ennis was third.

Ennis and Sanderson find themselves in a great position to double qualify for the World Championships in both rapid fire and free pistol, according to USA Shooting Media Director Sara John. All they have to do is stay in the top-three during the final stage of the World Championship Team selection, which takes place in June at the USA Shooting National Championships.

The World Championship Team Selection Matches are being conducted by USA Shooting through April 22 at the Pool International Shooting Complex. Scores from this match will determine the men’s and women’s rifle teams and will contribute to the pistol teams going to the World Shooting Championships.

A total of 80 athletes (24 rifle, 26 pistol and 30 shotgun) will be selected by USA Shooting to represent the USA at the world’s largest and highly anticipated Shooting Championships. The World Shooting Championships are expected to draw over 2,000 shooting athletes from around the world to compete in Croatia.

Emily Caruso, a resident athlete of the Olympic Training Center of Colorado Springs, Colo., led the way in Women’s Air Rifle and earned a spot on the World Championship Team with a 1,386.3 three-day total score. Morgan Hicks of Murray, Ky., finished second with a 1,379.7 and OTC resident athlete Sarah Blakeslee finished in third with 1,374.1.

Both Hicks and Blakeslee will double compete in Women’s Air Rifle and Women’s Three-Position Sport Rifle at the International Shooting Sport Federation World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, July 22 to Aug. 5. USAMU’s Spc. Nicole M. Allaire will represent the USA in 300-Meter Rifle events as she won the USA Shooting 300-Meter Sport Rifle National Championship and World Championship Selection Match in September.

In the Men’s Free Rifle Prone event, OTC resident athlete Matt Emmons walked away with his second win of this match, shooting a three-day total of 2,001.5, and double-qualifying in Men’s Prone and Men’s Air Rifle. Spc. Michael D. McPhail of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit finished in second, winning a spot on the U.S. National Team as well as a spot on the World Championship Team with his 1,992.7 three-day score.

Naval Reserve Lt. Eric Uptagrafft of Longmont, Colo., finished in third place in Men’s Prone, however, will not be named to the World Championship Team until the final results from the Men’s Three-Position Free Rifle event are calculated April 22, and it is determined if there are enough spots available.

OTC resident athlete Beki Snyder clinched the top spot in the Women’s Sport Pistol event, finishing with a 1,567.6. Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Callahan, a three time Olympian from Upper Marlboro, Md., ended up having some significant gun problems both days of the event and lost a total of 70-plus potential points putting her in seventh place. Newcomer Vladimira Borisova of Elgin, Ill., finished second, shooting a 1,537.9 and junior shooter Heather Deppe of San Antonio, Texas, slid into the top-three with a 1,527.7 two-day total score.

Other USAMU Soldiers who already made the World Championship Team are: Sgt. 1st Class Jason A. Parker, Air Rifle; Sgt. 1st Class Shawn C. Dulohery, Men’s Skeet; Pfc. Joshua M. Richmond and Staff Sgt. William H. Keever, Men’s Double Trap; Spc. Matthew T. Wallace, Men’s Trap; and Sgt. 1st Class Joetta R. Dement and Sgt. 1st Class Theresa E. DeWitt, Women’s Trap.

The rest of the selection matches schedule is as follows:
Today

Men’s Air Pistol Official Training at Pool Indoor Range
Women’s Air Pistol Official Training at Pool Indoor Range
Men’s Three Position Free Rifle Official Training at Pool Outdoor Range
April 20

Men’s Air Pistol Match and Finals at Pool Indoor Range
Women’s Air Pistol Match and Finals at Pool Indoor Range
Men’s Three Position Free Rifle Match and Finals at Pool Outdoor Range
April 21

Men’s Air Pistol Match, Finals and Awards at Pool Indoor Range
Women’s Air Pistol Match, Finals and Awards at Pool Indoor Range
Men’s Three Position Free Rifle Match and Finals at Pool Outdoor Range
April 22

Men’s Three Position Free Rifle Match, Finals and Awards at Pool Outdoor Range.

[wrc]

USA Shooting & U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit

FORT BENNING, Ga. – USA Shooting's Rifle and Pistol Spring Selection Match completed its busiest day of competition thus far as four more events wrapped up and two more rifle World Championship Teams were named April 18.
...

OTC resident athlete Beki Snyder clinched the top spot in the Women’s Sport Pistol event, finishing with a 1,567.6. Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Callahan, a three time Olympian from Upper Marlboro, Md., ended up having some significant gun problems both days of the event and lost a total of 70-plus potential points putting her in seventh place. Newcomer Vladimira Borisova of Elgin, Ill., finished second, shooting a 1,537.9
...

Way to go, Vladimira!

She shot air pistol last year at our range when we hosted our state amateur athletic festival (Illinois Prairie State Games). With her best score higher than any of the air RIFLE shooters, she caused quite a stir. Not only a great shooter, but a really good sport who put up with us rifle shooters trying to run a pistol tournament for the first time!