TargetTalk

Conner Prince (left) and Vincent Hancock earned silver and gold, respectively, in Men’s Skeet at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games Aug. 3. Photo by Joshua Schave

By Brittany Nelson, USAS Public Relations & Communications Manager

CHATEAUROUX, France (Aug. 3, 2024) –Vincent Hancock earns his fourth Olympic gold medal in Men’s Skeet and Conner Prince joins him on the podium with silver at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Chateauroux Shooting Rage in France Aug. 3.

Hancock, of Eatonton, Georgia, is now the sixth Olympian ever to win four gold medals in the same event, joining Al Oerter (USA, discus), Paul Elvstrom (Denmark, sailing one-person class), Carl Lewis (USA, long jump), Michael Phelps (USA, 200m individual medley), and Mijain Lopez (Cuba, Greco-Roman heavyweight). He is the first shooting Olympian to accomplish this feat.

“It is an honor honestly to have my name in with every one of those guys,” said Hancock, a four time ISSF world champion. “I never thought that I would be there. When I started, my goal was just one (gold) and now knowing the names I am there with means a lot to me. It is special.”

Hancock earned his first Olympic gold in Beijing 2008, his next in London 2012, and his third in Tokyo 2020. Hancock mentioned that his fourth gold has been his most emotional thus far.

“There was such a flood of emotions afterwards that I could barely even stand up,” said Hancock. “I was almost in tears at the end of it. There was just so much going on. To have my wife Rebekah, my mom, and my daughters here was special.”

Prince, of Burleson, Texas, took home silver for Team USA making Hancock’s gold even more special. Prince is coached by Hancock and the duo train at the Northlake Shooting Sports in Northlake, Texas.

“I am so happy for Conner,” said Hancock. “For us to have talked about going one and two for so many years now for it to come to fruition is awesome.”

Prince made his Olympic debut in Paris and had quite the showing. Prince finished the qualification round with a score of 124/125, tying the Olympic qualification record. He earned the number one bib for the final by winning a twelve point shoot off against Tammaro Cassandro, of Italy.

“My thought process (for the finals) was the same as qualifications,” said Prince. “I just take it one step at a time, one target at a time that’s all I can do.”

After Hancock hit his last target winning him the gold and solidifying Prince’s silver. The duo immediately turned to yell and cheer for each other.

“This is a dream,” said Prince, who currently attends Tarleton State University. “It doesn’t not feel real. I couldn’t be any happier and blessed.”

Hancock and Prince’s double podium marks the first time the U.S. has earned more than one medal in Men’s Skeet at an Olympic Games. The was also the first time more than one U.S. athlete competed in an Olympic Men’s Skeet final.

Austen Smith, of Keller, Texas, earned another medal for Team USA with her bronze in Women’s Skeet on Aug. 4. This is Smith’s first Olympic medal. She made her Games debut in Tokyo 2020 where she placed 10th.

On Aug. 5, the final day for shooting competition, Mixed Team Skeet will make it’s Olympic debut at the Paris Games. USA team one is Hancock and Smith and USA team two is Prince and Dania Vizzi.

View the full schedule of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games here.

Follow @USAShooting on Instagram, Facebook, and X to stay up to date as the team competes in Paris 2024.