Soldier, Navy Reservist win Gold at World Championships

[USAS]

By Sara John
USA Shooting

FORT BENNING, Ga. – The U.S. Men’s Shooting Team, comprised of Spc. Michael D. McPhail of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, Navy Reservist Lt. Eric Uptagrafft and Olympic Gold Medalist Matt Emmons of Colorado Springs, Colo., won the Gold Medal July 25 in the 50-Meter Free Rifle Prone team event at the 49th International Shooting Sport Federation World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia.

The USA walked away with the championship win, shooting a 1,786 combined score from the three athletes earlier elimination rounds. McPhail shot a 597, Uptagrafft finished with a 595, while Emmons followed with a 594 for the top-spot on the podium. Austria and Hungary took the Silver and Bronze team medals, respectively, finishing with a 1,779.

The USA’s McPhail finished eighth overall, making the final round with a 596 qualifying score. He entered the final in fifth, but after shooting a 102.7, dropped to eighth.

“To make the final in my first World Championship appearance was an awesome experience,” McPhail said. “I am a little disappointed it didn’t work out for me in the final but I am really glad the team won a Gold. I am just very glad to be here and without the support of the Army Marksmanship Unit and its gunsmiths, I wouldn’t have had this opportunity.”

Belarus’ Sergei Martynov won the Men’s Prone event, finally capturing the one title that has evaded him for five championships now. Martynov finished with a 599 qualifying to enter the final in a two-point lead over his next competitors. That lead proved enough, and he secured the Gold by finishing with a 702.1 total score.

Emmons and Uptagrafft both shot a 593 qualifying score, missing the chance of making it into the final round by three points.

(Formed in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to raise the standards of marksmanship throughout the U.S. Army, the Army Marksmanship Unit is assigned to the Accessions Support Brigade of the U.S. Army Accessions Command. The Marksmanship Unit trains its Soldiers to win competitions and enhances combat readiness through train-the-trainer clinics, research and development. For more information on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, contact the Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-5436, paula.pagan@usaac.army.mil or http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/amu/. USA Shooting is recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Shooting Sport Federation as the national governing body for the Olympic and international shooting sports in the United States. For more information on USA Shooting, contact media director Sara John at (719) 866-4896, sara.john@usashooting.org or http://www.usashooting.com.)