Parker, Sanderson leading the Way

[USA Shooting]

Parker Leading the Way in Men’s 3-Position, Sanderson in First Place for Rapid Fire at 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Shooting (Smallbore)



FT. BENNING, Ga. (May 17, 2008) – The first day of the Men’s 3-Position and Men’s Rapid Fire events were contested today at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Shooting (Smallbore) with Jason Parker (Omaha, Neb.) in the lead for 3-Position and Keith Sanderson (San Antonio, Texas) on top in Rapid Fire.



Two-time Olympian and U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) member Jason Parker (Omaha, Neb.) is in first place after day one of the Men’s 3-Position Rifle event with a total score of 1273.2. Parker has already secured a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team in Men’s Air Rifle and is looking to earn a second spot in Men’s 3-Position. West Point Cadet Christopher Abalo (Burbank, Calif.) is in second place with 1261.0 points and two-time Olympian and 2004 silver medalist in Men’s 3-Position, Mike Anti (Winterville, S.C.), a member of the USAMU, is in the third spot with 1260.1. USAMU members Hank Gray (Belgrade, Mont.), Michael McPhail (Darlington, Wis.), David Sprecher (Tarpon Springs, Fla.), 1996 Olympian Eric Uptagrafft (Spokane, Wash.) and Lucas Leinberger (Linn, Mo.) are in fourth through eighth places with total scores of 1258.5, 1256.4, 1256.0, 1255.6 and 1254.2 respectively.



In Men’s Rapid Fire Pistol, Keith Sanderson (San Antonio, Texas), the 2007 World Cup Munich bronze medalist and Olympic quota slot winner, is on top with 768.2 points. Five-time Olympian John McNally (Heath, Texas), who is looking to land a spot on his sixth U.S. Olympic Team, and John Bickar (Canton, Ohio), were tied at 766.9 at the conclusion of the final, which resulted in a shoot-off, with McNally winning to finish in second place overall. Bickar is in third place, while USAMU members John Ennis (Simi Valley, Calif.), Brad Balsley (Uniontown, Pa.) and James Ruiz (Dublin, Calif.) are in fourth, fifth and sixth places respectively with scores of 763.2, 758.5 and 743.2.



Over 170 top rifle and pistol shooters from around the United States are competing for spots on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Shooting (Smallbore) May 12-22 at Ft. Benning's International Shooting Complex in Columbus, Ga., home of the USAMU. The U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Shooting is a collaborative partnership between the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) and USA Shooting.



In smallbore rifle, there is one U.S. Olympic team spot available for Men's Prone and Men's 3-Position (Matt Emmons has already secured a spot in both Prone and 3P) and there are two spots available in Women's 3-Position. In pistol, there are two U.S. Olympic team spots available for Men's Free Pistol and one spot in Men's Rapid Fire Pistol. There are two spots for Women's Sport Pistol.



The rifle/pistol athletes will be selected to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team based on a combination of the three days of match scores, plus each athlete’s top two finals scores. The USOC has final approval of all U.S. Olympic Team members.



The 2008 U.S. Olympic Team members in Men’s Prone Rifle, Women’s Sport Pistol and Men’s Free Pistol were selected on May 15 with two-time Olympian and 2004 silver medalist Mike Anti (Winterville, S.C.) securing a spot on his fourth consecutive U.S. Olympic Team in Men’s Prone. Anti will join Matt Emmons (Browns Mills, N.J.), the 2004 Olympic gold medalist in Men’s Prone, on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. In Women’s Sport Pistol, three-time Olympian Beki Snyder (Colorado Springs, Colo.) earned her second spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. Snyder will represent the U.S. in both Women’s Sport Pistol and Women’s Air Pistol at the Beijing Olympic Games. Fifty-six year old three-time Olympian Libby Callahan (Columbia, S.C.) landed a spot on her fourth U.S. Olympic Team in Women’s Sport Pistol. In Men’s Free Pistol, 2004 Olympian Jason Turner (Rochester, N.Y.) qualified for his second consecutive U.S. Olympic Team, along with two-time Olympian Daryl Szarenski (Saginaw, Mich.), who will represent the U.S. on his third Olympic team. Turner will compete in both Free Pistol and Air Pistol at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, having previously qualified for a Spot in Men’s Air Pistol.



The U.S. earned a total of seven 2008 Olympic quota slots for pistol (women’s air – 1, men’s air – 1, men’s free – 2, women’s sport – 2 and men’s rapid fire – 1). A slot equals a person, so because Beki Snyder and Jason Turner already qualified in Air Pistol, and are now doubling in Sport Pistol and Free Pistol respectively, Brenda Shinn and Brian Beaman, who were the second place finishers at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Airgun, have now qualified for spots on the U.S. Olympic Team in Air Pistol. There will be seven total people competing in pistol at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.



For complete U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Shooting (Smallbore) results, please visit www.usashooting.org.



2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Shooting (Smallbore) Competition Schedule



Sunday, May 18

Men’s Rapid Fire Pistol match and finals

Men’s 3-Position Rifle match and finals



Monday, May 19 (Selection of Olympic Team members for Men’s Rapid Fire Pistol and Men’s 3-Position Rifle)

Men’s Rapid Fire Pistol match, finals and awards

Men’s 3-Position Rifle match, finals and awards

Women’s 3-Position Rifle official training



Tuesday, May 20

Women’s 3-Position Rifle match and finals



Wednesday, May 21

Women’s 3-Position Rifle match and finals



Thursday, May 22 (Selection of Olympic Team members for Women’s 3-Position Rifle)

Women’s 3-Position Rifle match, finals and awards

[Tom Amlie]

Two-time Olympian and U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) member Jason Parker (Omaha, Neb.) is in first place after day one of the Men’s 3-Position Rifle event with a total score of 1273.2.

Their results spreadsheet shows Matt Emmons with a 1281.8 (1180 + 101.8) (but he's listed at the bottom of the spreadsheet for some reason).

Spreadsheet mishap, perhaps?