U.S. Takes Home Three Medals from the World Cup Americana

[USAS]

U.S. Takes Home Three Medals from the World Cup Americana



AMERICANA, Brazil – By winning the gold medal and equaling his own World Records in men’s skeet, 16-year-old Vincent Hancock (Eatonton, Ga.) finished his first ISSF World Cup season just as strong as he started it. Hancock finished with a score of 149, Sunday, at the last World Cup of the 2005 season, winning the gold medal by one point and equaling the current World Record, which he set just four months ago at his first World Cup in Korea.



George Achilleos, of Cyprus, had to battle it out with Andrea Benelli, of Italy, for the silver medal in men’s skeet. Both finished with a total score of 148; but in the end, Achilleos won the shoot-off, hitting eight-straight, compared to Benelli’s seven.



Last week, Spc. Matt Wallace, of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU), and Major Dominic Grazioli, of the U.S. Air Force Reserve, both took home medals for the U.S. Shotgun Team in men’s trap. Wallace and Grazioli, along with Russia’s Pavel Gurkin, all finished with a 144 total score, putting them in a three-way tie for second place. Gurkin was out after missing the first target, making it easy on the Americans. Grazioli finished with a two in the shoot-off, winning the bronze medal, and Wallace hit three, taking home the silver. The gold medal and country quota spot went to Russia’s Alexey Alipov, who finished with a 146.



And, in men’s double trap, Pvt. Joshua Richmond, also of the USAMU, narrowly missed the medal stand. Sweden’s Hakan Dahlby beat the 19-year-old American in a shoot-off for third, after both finished with a 186 total score. Two-time Olympian Glenn Eller (Houston, Texas) took fifth, finishing with a 183.


The next competition on the agenda for the U.S. Shotgun Team is the Fall Selection Match held in Colorado Springs, Colo., in October, and the Championship of the Americas in Salinas, Puerto Rico, in November.

USA Shooting is recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) and the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) as the national governing body for the Olympic and international shooting sports in the United States. USA Shooting trains and selects the USA Shooting Team, which represents the United States throughout the year in numerous major international competitions worldwide including the Olympic Games, World Championships, Pan American Games, Championships of the Americas and at ISSF World Cups. For more information on the USA Shooting Team, please log on to www.usashooting.org. For full results from the ISSF World Cup Americana, please log on to www.issf-shooting.org.