OntheMark

The2016RioOlympicGamesShooting’sGreatestDaysofGlory

ByGaryAnderson,DCME

TheOlympicGamesaretheworld’sgreatestsportscompetitionandShootingisamajorsportinthoseGames.EveryfouryearstheOlympicsgiveShootinganditsbestathletestelevisionandmediacoveragethatfarexceedsanythingachievedinthepreviousthreeyearsand11months.ThisisvitaltojuniorshootingprogramsallovertheworldbecausehavingShootingintheOlympicsaffirmshowtheirsportisoneoftheworld’sgreatsports.

TheGamesofthe31stModernOlympiadtookplaceinRiodeJaneiro,Brazilon5-21August.They

The 2016 Olympic Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies were spectacular. In this Closing Ceremony scene, fireworks exploded as a “tree of life” rose from the stadium floor after the Olympic Torch was extinguished. The tree is a symbol of hope for the future of the Games and of mankind.

The Author: Gary Anderson is the CMP’s Director of Civilian Marksmanship Emeritus. He is a Vice President of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) and was appointed by the ISSF to serve as a Technical Delegate for the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. In Olympic sports, the Technical Delegate is an international federation’s chief technical advisor to the Olympic Organizing Committee for the sport that he/she represents. This On the Mark article is a report on observations made by Mr. Anderson during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Shooting competitions.

featuredcompetitionsin306medaleventsin28differentsportsfor11,303athletesfrom206countries.InRio,390athletesfrom97countriesparticipatedin15Shootingevents.Shootingrankedfourthamongthe28sportsinnationalparticipation;onlyAthletics,SwimmingandJudohadqualifiedathletesfrommorecountries.The390ShootingathletesemergedfromanOlympicGamesqualifyingprocessinwhich4,412athletesfrom117nationscompetedin23qualifyingcompetitionsbetweenSeptember2014andMarch2016.

Hereare2016GamesShootinghighlightsthatwillbeofspecialinteresttojuniorshootingleadersandprogramsintheUSA.

TheGamesFirstGoldMedal

ShootingonceagainenjoyedtheuniquehonorofpresentingtheveryfirstmedaloftheentireGames.The2016firstgoldmedalwasextraspecialbecausea19year-oldathletefromtheUSAwonit.VirginiaThrasherfromSpringfield,VirginiawasalreadywellknownintheUSAbecauseshewonboth2016NCAAriflechampionships,butshewascompletelyunknowntotherestoftheshootingworld.ShehadonlycompetedinthreeISSFWorldCupsin2015and2016andhadnotqualifiedforafinalinanyofthem.

IntheOlympicWomen’sAirRifleevent,Thrasherfinished6thinthe40-shotqualificationtoqualifyforthefinal.TheeightfinalistsincludedthreeathleteswhohadalreadywonfourOlympicmedalsandfiveworldchampionshipmedalsbetweenthemsonooneexpectedhertobeatallofthem.ThefinalwasincrediblycloseandhardfoughtasThrasherquicklyadvancedinto3rd,then2ndand,after12shots,intofirst.Sheheldontofirstplacetherestofthewaywithafantasticperformance(seechart)tobecomethe2016Olympicsfirstgoldmedalist.

Ginny Thrasher’s Path to Olympic Gold After Shot # 3 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Eliminations 8th 7th 6th 5th 4th 3rd 1st & 2nd

Margin to/from 1st -0.2 -0.7 -0.4 -0.1 +0.7 +1.3 +0.5 +0.7 +1.0

Place 3rd 2nd 2nd 2nd 1st 1st 1st 1st Gold

Ginny Thrasher shot a 10.9 on her first shot and a 9.7 on her second shot. Her next 18 shots were all 10s.

TheGreatestShootingPerformancesinRio

EveryOlympicsaredistinguishedbyathleteperformancesthatriseabovetherest.InadditiontoThrasher’sunexpectedvictory,thegreatestperformancesinRiobelongedtoKoreanpistolshooterJinJongoh,ItalianrifleshooterNiccoCampriani,VietNampistolshooterXuanVinhHoangandayoungpistolshooterfromGreece,AnnaKorakaki.

GoingintotheGames,the37-year-oldJinwasoneofonlythreeathletestoeverwinthreeindividualOlympicgoldmedalsinShooting.Hecompetedinbothprecisionpistolevents.In10mAirPistolonthefirstdayofcompetition,hehadadisappointing5thplacefinish,butfourdayslater,hewonthe50meventwithanunbelievablecome-from-behindperformance.Inthefinal,hisquesttobecomethefirstshootertowinfourgoldmedalslookedbleakafterheshotadisastrous6.6onhisninthshot.Thatdroppedhimtolastamongtheremainingsevenfinalistsandplacedhimingravedangerofbeingeliminated.ButheproceededtoshooteighttensinhislasttenshotstoclimbbacktothetopafterhepassedVietNam’sHoangontheirlasttwoshots.Jin’s50mPistolperformanceinRiowasagreatexampleofnevergivingupevenwhenthereappearstobenohope.Hebecamethefirstathleteinthe120-yearhistoryofOlympicShootingtowinfourindividualgoldmedals.

Italy’sNiccoCamprianiiswellknowntoU.S.shootingenthusiastsbecauseheattendedtheUniversityofWestVirginiaandshotontheirNCAAChampionshipRifleTeam.Camprianiwonthe50m3-Positiongoldmedalinthe2012Olympicsundertheoldfinalsruleswherequalificationscorescarriedforwardintothefinal.TheISSFchangedtostart-from-zerofinalsin2013andCamprianisufferedthroughseveraldisappointingfinalsfinishesduringthelastfouryears.InRio,however,histwogoldmedalsbecameanothergreatexampleofperseverancethroughadversity.HehadastrongfinishtowintheAirRifleMeneventand,onthelastcompetitionday,

Korea’s JIN Jongoh made Olympic history by becoming the first shooter to win four individual gold medals.

overcameRussia’sSergeyKamenskiyonthelastshottowinthe50m3-Positiongoldmedal.CamprianibecamethefourthathletetowinthreeindividualgoldmedalsinShootingandonlythethirdathletetowintwogoldmedalsinoneGames.

VietNam’sXuanVinhHoanghasbecomeoneoftheworld’sbestprecisionpistolshooterssohismedalwinsinRiowerehardlysurprising.Onthefirstcompetitionday,heandBrazil’sFelipeWufoughtforfirstandsecondplacesintheMen’sAirPistolevent.Wuhadaslender0.3leadgoingintothelastshotandshota10.1,butHoangshota10.7towinthegoldmedalby0.4points.Thefinishwasespeciallyexcitingbecausethehomecrowdenthusiasticallyshouted“WU-WU-WU-WU”throughoutthefinal.HoangbecamethefirstathletefromVietNamtoeverwinanOlympicgoldmedalwhileWuwonBrazil’sfirstmedaloftheGames.Hoang’soutstandingOlympicsclimaxedwhenhenearlywonanothergoldmedalinthe50mPistoleventwherehefinishedwithasilvermedal.

ThreeotherathletesinRiowontwoShootingmedalseach;twoofthemaremarried.AnnaKorakakifromGreeceplacedthirdintheWomen’sAirPistoleventandthenwontheWomen’s25mPistoleventafteraback-and-forth8-6goldmedalmatchduelwithGermany’sMonikaKarsch.China’sDuLiwongoldmedalsin2004and2008.InRio,shefinishedsecondtoThrasherinAirRifleandthirdin50m3-Positiontoaddtwomoremedalstohercollection.DuismarriedtoChina’sPangWeiwhowonsilverandbronzemedalsinRiointheMen’sAirPistoland50mPistolevents.

JuniorSuccessesinRio

Nicco Campriani, Italy, became only the third shooter in 120 years of Olympic history to win two individual gold medals in one Olympics.

Thesuccessesseveraljunior-agedathleteshadduringthe2016OlympicsshouldinspirejuniorshootersintheUSAtobelieveitispossibleforjuniorstowinininternationalcompetitions.Accordingtointernationalrules,ajunioris

anyonewhois20oryounger.InRiothreejuniorswonfourmedals.TheseincludedThrasher’sgoldmedal,Korakaki’sgoldandbronzemedalsandasilvermedalwonbyRussia’sVitalinaBatsarashkinainWomen’sAirPistol.Inaddition,fourotherathleteswhowere21or22yearsofagewonmedals.Athleteswhowere22oryoungerwoneightofthe45medals(18%)awardedinRio.Moderntrainingmethodsandequipmentaremakingitpossibleforjuniorathletestodevelopfasterthaneverbefore.AllofthesemedalwinnershadnopriorOlympicexperience,butmosthadrecordsofsuccessinISSFJuniorWorldCupsorthe2014JuniorWorldChampionships.

TheUSAShootingTeamPerformance

Junior athlete Anna Korakaki, Greece, won medals in both women’s pistol events, gold in 25m and bronze in 10m. The photos show her competing in the two finals.

TheUSAShootingTeamenteredtheOlympicswithaverystrongteamthatincludedseveralathleteswith“podiumpotential.”Tenofthe20USAteammemberswererankedinthetoptenintheworldbeforetheGamesandtheyhadagreatstart.GinnyThrasherwongoldonthefirstdayandtrapshooterCoryCogdellwonabronzemedalonthesecondday.Theywononlyoneothermedalintheremainingsevendays,KimRhode’sbronzemedalinWomen’sSkeet.

RhodewenttoRiowiththedistinctionofhavingwonmedals(3gold,1silver,1bronze)infiveconsecutiveOlympics.Shehadtowinaone-shotsuddendeathshoot-offattheendoftheSkeetbronzemedalmatch,butherbronzemedalinRiomadehistory.The37-year-oldskeetshooterfromElMonte,CaliforniabecamethefirstathleteinanysportinOlympichistory,maleorfemale,towinmedalsinsixconsecutiveGames.

The2016USAtotalofthreemedalscomparesfavorablywithUSAresultsinpreviousOlympics(1988=3,1992=2,1996=3,2000=3,2004=3,2008=6,2012=4).However,comparedwiththepossibilitiesthatexistedbeforetheGames,the2016medaltotalwasdisappointing.InRio,theUSAhadthreeworldnumberonerankedathletesfinish19th,19thand15thsoitiseasytounderstandthedisappointment.Officially,theUSAfinished5thinthemedalcountbehindItaly,Germany,ChinaandKorea.

TheRio2016OrganizingCommittee

USA skeet athlete Kim Rhode (on right) finished behind gold and silver medalists from Italy, but her bronze medal made her the first Olympic athlete to win medals in six consecutive Games.

TheRiodeJaneiroGameswereuniquebecausetheywerethefirsttobeheldinSouthAmericawhereRio2016,theOlympicGamesOrganizingCommittee,successfullycombinedLatinculturewiththeGames.NowherewasthismoreapparentthanintheOpeningandClosingCeremonies.TheRioceremonieswerenotthecostlytechnologicalextravaganzasofBeijingorLondon;rathertheywerejoyouscelebrationsofBraziliancultureandmusic.Braziliansareahappypeoplewhose‘joiedevivre’camealiveintheGamesgreatcelebrations.

InjudgingtheRioOlympics,itisimportanttoacknowledgetheobstaclesRio2016hadtoovercomejusttoconducttheGames.PriortoeveryOlympicsthereisalwaysafloodofnegativemediastoriesabouttheOlympics.InthemonthsbeforeRionegativestoriesfocusedonmosquitoesandthezikavirus,dangerouspollutioninwater-basedsportsvenues,hugebudgetcutbackscausedbyBrazil’ssevereeconomicdownturn,Rio’shorrendoustrafficandsystemicthreatsofcrime.

Noneofthese“the-sky-is-falling”scenariospreventedRiofromgivingtheworldagreatOlympics.Veryfewpeoplecomplainedabouteverseeingmosquitoes.Waterpollutionwasneverentirelycleanedup,buttherealsowerenowidespreadreportsofillnesses.BrazilconquereditstrafficproblembyprovidingOlympiclanesandnewhighwaysthatdrasticallyreducedtraveltimesforathletesandofficialstoreachsportsvenues.ThemostseriouscrimestoryduringtheGameswasaboutthreeAmericanswimmerswhotrashedagasstationandliedaboutbeingrobbed.Budgetsweretightandcutbackshadtobeendured,butthequalityofthesportscompetitionswasnevercompromised.

IntheOlympicGames,theIOCchosesthehostcityandprovidesoverallsupervisionforGamespreparation,buttheIOCdelegatesresponsibilityforgoverningandsupervisingthesportscompetitionstoeachsport’sinternationalfederation(IF).TheIFfortheOlympicsportofShootingistheISSF(InternationalShootingSportFederation).IFsprovidecompetitionrulesandappointTechnicalDelegateswhoworkdirectlywiththehostcity’sorganizingcommitteetoplanandpreparethecompetitionsineachsport.

AkeyrequirementforOlympichostcitiesistoprovideavenueorsportsfacilitythatcomplieswithIFrules.Riode

JaneirohadanexistingshootingvenuethatwaslocatedinthesuburbofDeodorointhenorthwestpartofthecity.Thisvenuewasoriginallybuiltforthe2007PanAmericanGames,butitwascompletelyrefurbishedforthe2016Olympics.TheOlympicShootingCenterhasthreeshotgunranges,6050mfiringpoints,6010mfiringpoints,eight25mbaysandaRifle-PistolFinalsHall.ISSFandRio2016officialswereabletomaketherefurbishedvenueworkquitesatisfactorily.

TheactualconductofthecompetitionsisdonebytheNTOs(NationalTechnicalOfficials)fromthehostcountry.Brazilstartedwithveryfewtrained,experiencedRangeOfficers,buttheyappointedagroupofenthusiasticvolunteers,manywithmilitarybackgrounds,toserveasNTOs(ChiefRangeOfficersandRangeOfficers).TheyparticipatedinarigoroustrainingprogramandservedwithdistinctionduringaPre-OlympicTestEventinAprilandagainduringtheOlympics.TheRio2016NTOsbecamesomeofthebestRangeOfficersintheworldwhohelpedtoensurethatthe2016OlympicShootingcompetitionswereoutstanding.

TheconsensusamongISSFofficialsisthatthe2016competitionswerethebesteverforShooting.All15Shootingeventsstartedandfinishedontime,therewerenoprotestsandamazinglyfewevenminorincidents.Theconductofthe15

The diagram shows the layout of the Olympic Shooting Center that was located in the Deodoro suburb northwest of the City of Rio de Janeiro. The Brazilian Army owns the range, but it is available for future use by the Brazilian Shooting Federation.

Finalswentwithoutasingleglitchorsignificantincident.Therewerenoanti-dopingviolations.Theobjectiveofprovidingabsolutelyfair,optimumconditionsfortheathleteswasachieved.Anewinnovationduringthe2016competitionswastheuseofmusicduringqualificationandfinalroundcompetitions.ThiswasoneofseveralsportspresentationproceduresusedbyShootinginRiotobringitmoreinlinewithhowotherOlympicsportsareconducted.

TheImpactofStart-from-ZeroFinals

TheISSFmadeamajorrulechangein2013immediatelyaftertheLondonOlympics.ISSFfinalsrulesthathavebeenusedsince1986allowedthetopeightorsixathletestokeeptheirqualificationscoresandfinishwithashort,ten-shotfinal.Thenew2013ruleschangedthatformatbyprovidingforlongerfinals(moreshots)andnolongerallowingfinaliststocarryqualificationscoresforwardintothefinal.TheRioGameswerethefirstOlympicstousethenewformat.Qualificationcompetitionsearnedthetop

Viet Nam’s Xuan Vinh Hoang passed Brazil’s Felipe Wu on the very last shot to win the 10m Air Pistol Men gold medal. Here they are embrace each other after that fateful, but tremendously exciting shot.

The Rio 2016 Shooting Range Officers (“NTOs”) turned out to be some of the best Range Officers in the world. The NTO team in this photo conducted all firing on the 50m Range.

athletesplacesinthefinal,butinlinewithhowalmostallOlympicsportsnowconductfinalroundcompetitions,finalistsmustfollowwithasecondgreatperformanceinthefinalinordertowinamedal.

ThecompetitionsinRioprovedthatthisnewfinalsformatgeneratesalotmoredramaandexcitement.Undertheoldrulesonlythetoptwoorthreeinmostqualificationcompetitionshadachancetowin.InRio,everyoneoftheeightfinalistshadanopportunitytowin.Tworiflegoldmedalists,HenriJunghaenelofGermany,whowonin50mRifleProne,andNiccoCamprianiofItaly,whowonin50mRifle3-Position,finishedtheirqualificationsin8thplace.Women’sAirPistolgoldmedalistMengxueZhangofChinaqualifiedin7th.GinnyThrasherqualifiedin6thandWomen’sRifle3-PositiongoldmedalistBarbaraEnglederofGermanyqualifiedin5th.Undertheoldsystemnoneofthemwouldhavehadanyrealchancetowin.

Everyrifleandpistolfinalwasnotdecideduntilthelastshot.Camprianiwentfromsecondtofirstonthelastshotinthe50m3-Positionfinal.VietNam’sHoangjumpedfromsecondtofirstonhislastshotinthe10mAirPistolfinal.JinJongohmovedfrom2ndtofirstinthe50mPistolfinalonthesecondtothelastshotandneededagreatlastshottoensurehisvictory.Germany’sChristianReitzscoredaperfectfivehitsonhislast25mRapid-FirePistolseriestosecurehisgoldmedal.The2016Olympicfinalstrulywerethemostexcitingever.

TheNCAAConnection

OneofthemostinterestingobservationsthatcameoutofRioistheimpactthatNCAAcollegerifleprogramshavehadonrifleathletedevelopment.NiccoCampriani,whowontworiflegoldmedals,isagraduateoftheUniversityofWestVirginiaandshotontheirverysuccessfulrifleteam.GinnyThrasher

Lucas Kozeniesky, age 21, shoots for the North Carolina State Univ. Rifle Team. He was one of several promising young athletes on the 2016 USA Olympic Shooting Team. He finished 21st in Men’s Air Rifle.

isacurrentWVUsophomore.50mRiflePronegoldmedalistJunghaenelisagraduateoftheUniversityofKentucky.CurrentorformermembersofNCAArifleteamswonfourofthefive2016riflegoldmedals.ThreeotherrifleeventfinalistshadformerNCAArifleteamconnections.

HowMuchIsanOlympicGoldMedalWorth?

AnOlympicgoldmedalismadeofsilverwithgoldplateontheoutsidesoitsintrinsicvalueisnotexceptional.ThelastsolidgoldOlympicmedalwasawardedin1912.ForbesMagazinecalculatedthe“podiumvalue”ofa2016goldmedalat$564,basedoncurrentpricesforgoldandsilver.Nevertheless,therealvalueofagoldmedaltoanathletewhowinsoneismuchhigherbecauseitcommemoratesbecomingthebestintheworldinaninternationalsportseventandbecauseitbringssubstantialfinancialrewards.

AlmostallOlympicmedalwinnersreceivemoneyfortheirvictories,someofthemalotofmoney.ManynationalshootingfederationslikeUSAShootingnowprovidefinancialrewardsforwinningOlympicmedals.MostnationalOlympicCommitteesprovidecashawards.Somegovernmentagenciesalsoprovidefinancialincentives.GinnyThrasherreceivedatotalawardof$75,000,$50,000fromUSAShootingand$25,000fromtheU.S.OlympicCommittee.GermangoldmedalistsEngender,JunghaenelandReitzeachreceived20,000Euros(22,000US$)fromtheGermanSportsAidFoundation.Inadditiontheircoachingstaffreceived40,000Eurosforeachgoldmedal.CrediblereportsfromChinastatethatChinesegoldmedalistsreceivewelloveramilliondollarsinpaymentsfromsportsagenciesandgovernmentsthatsupportthem.

CelebrityandTelevisionSupportforShooting

InadditiontoreceivingunprecedentedworldwidetelevisioncoverageduringtheOlympics,Shootingonceagainattractedenthusiasticattentionfrommanygovernmentandsportsleaders.UnitedNationsSecretaryGeneralBanKiMoonandChineseViceMinisterLiuYandongattendedtheWomen’sAirRiflefinal,whereIOCPresidentThomasBachpresentedtheGamesfirstmedals.AtleastfourroyalfamilymembersvisitedtheOlympicShootingCenterincludingPrincessAnnofGreatBritain,PrinceAlbertIIofMonaco,PrinceFrederikofDenmarkandPrincessNoraofLichtenstein.Atleast29IOCmembersattended,alongwithnumerousothergovernmentandNationalOlympicCommitteeleaders.

Allrelevanttelevisionviewerstatisticsarenotyetavailable,butinitialindicationsarethatShootingdidverywell

inattractingTVviewers.TheGamesattractedanoverallworldwideTVaudienceof3.5billionpeople;that’shalfoftheworld’spopulation.NBClivestreamedall15OlympicShootingfinalsviatheInternetforviewersintheUSA.Germantelevisionreportedoversixmillionviewersforeachofthetwo25mpistolfinalswhereGermanathleteswongoldandsilvermedals.Similarreportsarecomingfromseveralothercountries.

IOC President Dr. Thomas Bach (on right) is accompanied by ISSF President Olegario Vázquez Raña as they are introduced prior to the presentation of the Games first medals for the Women’s Air Rifle event.

The2016OlympicGamesinRiodeJaneirohaveonceagaindemonstratedhowShootingisawell-establishedandhighlyrespectedsportwithintheOlympicmovement.YoungshooterscanbeproudoftheirparticipationinShooting,beinspiredbytheaccomplishmentsofitsgreatathletesandenjoytheirengagementintheOlympicdream.

Resources

Foranyonewhowantsmoreinformationaboutthe2016OlympicShootingcompetitions,twogoodresourcestocheckare:

• TheShootingResultsBook,acompletelistofallathletes,allscoresandallrankingsforthe152016OlympicShootingevents.DownloadfromtheISSFwebsiteat:http://www.issf-sports.org/media/calendar/2016/1664/completeresult/OG%20BRA%202016%20Results%20Book.pdf.

• NBCOlympicLiveStreamVideos.ArchivedcopiesofNBCOlympiccoveragecanbefoundathttp://www.nbcolympics.com/video/shooting.