By Brittany Nelson, USAS Public Relations & Communications Manager
COLO SPRGS, CO (March 10, 2025) – USA Shooting junior rifle and pistol athletes, several who were competing in their first ever international competition, earned an incredible eight medals and quotas at the 2025 1st Junior Championship of the Americas (CAT Games) in Asuncion, Paraguay, Feb. 27-March 4.
The quota slots athletes earned at the CAT Games go towards U.S. for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games taking place this August 9-23 in Asuncion, Paraguay. Each quota earned gives the U.S. a spot to compete in the respective event. The Junior Pan American Games take place every four years and consist of athletes from North, South, and Central American countries.
At the CAT Games, rifle and pistol athletes stood atop the podium in individual, team, and mixed team junior air events. Grayson Muller kicked off the medal collection with a silver in Junior Men’s 10m Air Rifle, the first international medal of his shooting career.
Muller teamed up with Tyler Wee and Jack Ogoreuc to claim a gold medal in the Junior Men’s 10m Air Rifle Team event. Wee went on to earn a third medal with Gracie Dinh in Junior Mixed Team Air Rifle. Dinh joined Regan Diamond and Makenzie Larson on the podium when the trio secured a silver medal in the Junior Women’s 10m Air Rifle Team event.
Wee, Ogoreuc, Diamond, and Dinh all earned Junior 10m Air Rifle quotas for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games. The quota slots allow the U.S. to send athletes to compete in the respective events at the competition.
“The conditions were extreme,” said Peter Durben, USA Shooting national rifle coach. “It was over 100 degrees in the facility every day and no air conditioning. Our athletes toughed it out and accomplished the main goal of earning our four quotas, for the Junior Pan Am Games later this year. Each athlete also came home with a medal. I am especially proud of those that represented the USA in an international event for the first time. Each had outstanding performances.”
The junior pistol athletes had an impressive run as well, earning four medals and four quotas. Nathan Lim shot a remarkable final where he claimed the gold in Junor Men’s 10m Air Pistol. Lim trains at the Bridge Junior Shooting Club in California, founded by the late In Kim. Lim doubled his gold medal count when he, Marcus Klemp, and Reese Metzler came together to earn first place in the Junior Men’s 10m Air Pistol Team event.
Eva Allan, Suman Sanghera, and Danae Bell joined forces to earn a silver medal in the Junior Women’s 10m Air Pistol Team event. The silver medal marks Allan and Bell’s first international medal earned thus far in their shooting careers.
Sanghera and Klemp paired up to win the gold in the Junior Mixed Team Air Pistol event, marking the eighth and final medal for Team USA at the competition.
Klemp, Lim, Sanghera, and Allan all earned quotas slots at the competition that go towards the U.S. at the 2025 Junior Pan American Games.
“I was very pleased with how all the athletes did given the extremely hot conditions,” said Jason Turner, USA Shooting national pistol coach and Olympic medalist. “Their ability to stay focused and execute was impressive. It was a great learning experience and something they will be able to use moving forward.”
The 2025 Junior CAT Games also had an open age category where Peter Fiori competed in Men’s Rifle events.
See all medals and quotas earned below:
Rifle
- Grayson Muller: Silver, Junior Men’s 10m Air Rifle
- Tyler Wee, Grayson Muller, and Jack Ogoreuc: Gold, Junior Men’s 10m Air Rifle Team
- Regan Diamond, Makenzie Larson, Gracie Dinh: Silver, Junior Women’s 10m Air Rifle Team
- Gracie Dinh and Tyler Wee: Silver, Junior Mixed Team Air Rifle
Pistol
- Nathan Lim: Gold, Junior Men’s 10m Air Pistol
- Marcus Klemp, Nathan Lim, and Reese Metzler: Gold, Junior Men’s 10m Air Pistol
- Eva Allan, Suman Sanghera, and Danae Bell: Silver, Junior Women’s 10m Air Pistol Team
- Suman Sanghera and Marcus Klemp: Gold, Junior Mixed Team Air Pistol
2025 Junior Pan American Games Quotas Earned
- Junior Men’s 10m Air Rifle (2) Tyler Wee and Jack Ogoreuc
- Junior Women’s 10m Air Rifle (2) Regan Diamond, Gracie Dinh
- Men’s 10m Air Pistol (2) Marcus Klemp and Nathan Lim
- Women’s 10m Air Pistol (2) Suman Sanghera and Eva Allan
The junior shotgun team is currently competing in the 2025 Junior Shotgun CAT Games in Bridgetown, Barbados.
About USA Shooting
USA Shooting, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation was chartered by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the Olympic & Paralympic Shooting Sports in April 1995. The organization develops and implements programs to promote growth in the sport and serves as a sanctioning body for local and national competitions. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center, USA Shooting has a full-time staff dedicated to our sport.
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