TargetTalk

By Mary Beth Vorwerk
USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The five-person 2008 U.S. Olympic Airgun Team was chosen March 3 at the Olympic Training Center and a West Point cadet and Fort Benning, Ga., Soldier made the cut.

U.S. Military Academy Cadet Stephen Scherer of Billerica, Mass., and Sgt. 1st Class Jason A. Parker of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit of Fort Benning qualified for the 2008 Olympic Team in Men's Air Rifle.
This will be Parker's third Olympics.

2004 Olympian Emily Caruso of Fairfield, Conn., qualified for the team in Women's Air Rifle. Three-time Olympian Rebecca "Beki"
Snyder of Grand Junction, Colo., and 2004 Olympian Jason Turner of Rochester, N.Y., both qualified in Air Pistol.
There are five slots on the U.S. Olympic Airgun Team - two slots for Men's Air Rifle and one slot each for Women's Air Rifle, Men's Air Pistol and Women's Air Pistol.

Scherer, 19, earned an Olympic berth in Men's Air Rifle by finishing the competition with a total score of 1994.1 points. Parker, a 2000 and 2004 Olympian from Omaha, Neb., earned a spot on his third Olympic team by taking second place with a final score of 1,990.8.

Matthew Rawlings of Wharton, Texas, finished in third place with 1,989.8. 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Matthew Emmons of Browns Mills, N.J., was fourth with 1,986.1. Emmons has already secured two spots on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team in Men's Prone Rifle and Men's Three Position Rifle.

In Women's Air Rifle, Caruso qualified for her second Olympic team taking the top spot with a total score of 1,397.6 points.

"I am very excited and happy that all my hard work and training has paid off," said Caruso. "This competition was difficult with so many girls shooting such high scores, but I stayed focused and accomplished my goal."

Scherer's younger sister Sarah Scherer finished in second place in Women's Air Rifle with a total score of 1,393.3, while Jamie Beyerle of Lebanon, Pa., was third with 1391.7.

Snyder earned a berth to her fourth consecutive Olympic team by finishing the competition in first place in Women's Air Pistol with a total score of 1,332.9. Brenda Shinn of Riverside, Calif., took second place with 1,316.1 and 2000 Olympian Christina Cassidy of Colorado Springs finished in third with 1,314.1.

In Men's Air Pistol, Turner qualified for the U.S. Olympic team after finishing with a total score of 1,935.4. Brian Beaman of Selby, S.D., took second with 1930.4 and two-time Olympian Sgt. 1st Class Daryl L. Szarenski of the Army Marksmanship Unit finished right behind Beaman in third place with a score of 1,930.1.

The U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Shooting is a collaborative partnership between the U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Shooting and was conducted at the Olympic Training Center March 1 to 3. Airgun athletes were selected to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team on the final day of competition by a combination of the match scores from all three days of competition, plus each athlete's top two finals scores. The USOC has final approval of all U.S. Olympic Team members.

Complete 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Shooting (Airgun) results can be found by visiting www.usashooting.org.

My hats off to everyone, but I'd like to give a special applause to Emily Caruso.

I grew up shooting with Emily as a junior, and she was nothing but hospitable every time I flew out to the OTC. She's a very hard-working, diligent competitor, and is one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet.

Best of luck in Beijing Em, do the rest of us from CT proud (as though you haven't done that already).

The 3-day match totals don't seem to be the total of the 3 matches and the 3 finals (e.g. Emmons did not even shoot the third final so should be way down the list, not 4th). In fact I can't figure out any combination of the scores that will produce the totals given. Anyone know how the totals are calculated? Are some previous tournaments somehow added in?

I think I figured it out. They apparently get to drop their lowest final.

Correct they drop the low final.
This is for all the Air events ( R&P )

It's just too bad we did not have two slots for Womens Air Rifle .... the Sherers are great "kids" and it would have been neat to have a brother-sister pair going.

The matches ware fantastic to watch, and the finals were what they should be .... very exciting with places changing at almost every single shot.