The U.S. Shotgun team earned four medals at the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) Lonato World Cup, June 10-19, the last World Cup before the Olympic Games Paris 2024 July 26- Aug. 11.
The U.S. took home the most medals of all the countries competing. The American team earned hardware in the following: Conner Prince, silver in Men’s Skeet; Dania Vizzi, silver in Women’s Skeet; Austen Smith, bronze in Women’s Skeet; Vincent Hancock and Austen Smith, gold in Mixed Team Skeet. All medalists will be competing in the Paris Games this summer where the Mixed Skeet Team event will be making its Olympic debut.
Prince, of Burleson, Texas, qualified for the Men’s Skeet finals after shooting a 123 out of 125 in the qualification round and then winning a shot off. Prince earned second place in the final by shooting 53 out of 60 targets, ousting Rashid Al-Athba of Qatar, who finished third. Prince will be making his Olympic debut this summer in Paris. He will be shooting Men’s Skeet and Mixed Skeet Team with Dania Vizzi.
Vizzi, of Odessa, Florida, earned her spot in the Women’s Skeet finals by shooting 121 out of 125 in the qualification round. She was in a three way tie for first place in the qualification round and earned the number one finals bib after winning a shoot off. Vizzi earned silver in the finals by shooting a 56 out of 60. Vizzi is also making her Olympic debut this summer where she will be competing in Women’s Skeet and Mixed Team Skeet.
Smith, a Keller, Texas, native, was also in the three way tie for first place in the Women’s Skeet qualification round with a 121 out of 125. She earned herself the second place bib in a shoot off. Smith earned a bronze medal in the finals after out shooting teammate Sam Simonton who placed fourth. Smith went on to earn gold with Hancock in Mixed Team Skeet. Smith, a Tokyo 2020 Olympian, will be competing in Women’s Skeet and Mixed Team Skeet with Hancock in Paris.
Hancock, of Eatonton, Georgia, paired up with Smith to shoot a combined total of 147 out of 150 in the qualification round of Mixed Team Skeet. The duo came out on top in the gold medal match, defeating the Kuwait team. Hancock and Smith make a strong team going into the Paris Olympics for Mixed Skeet. The pair earned gold in the event at the 2023 ISSF World Championships. Hancock, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, will also be competing in Men’s Skeet this summer in Paris. The three-time Pan American Games Champion is looking to make history in Paris. If he wins another gold medal in Men’s Skeet, he will become the sixth athlete ever to win the same individual Olympic event four times and only the fourth American to do so.
The shotgun team and the rest of the U.S. shooting team is gearing up for the Paris Olympics Games that kick off July 26. View the U.S. Olympic shooting team roster here.
The Paralympic Games take place shortly after the Olympics, starting Aug. 28. View the U.S. Paralympic shooting team roster here.
Follow @USAShooting on Instagram, Facebook, and X to stay up to date as the team gears up for the Games.
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