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Games begin in full, with US teen on target for 1st gold
Posted On Aug 07 2016
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Aged just 19, shooter Virginia Thrasher of the United States of America, hailing from Springfield, Virginia, surged into the record books as the first gold medallist of the Rio Olympics 2016. Shooter Ginny Thrasher pulled off an upset in the women’s ten-meter air rifle event this Morning.
Thrasher, 19, the women’s NCAA air rifle champion, attends West Virginia University, where she beings her sophomore year next week. She followed that by winning the U.S. Olympic Trials less than a month later.
A figure skater growing up, she switched sports five years ago after a hunting trip with her family.
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Apurvi was placed in the 34th position with a combined score of 411.6 while Ayonika was 43rd with 407.0 among 53 shooters at the Olympic Shooting Centre.
The 2004 victor Du Li of China came out of retirement to take silver with 207.0 points. She defeated China’s Du Li, who won the silver with a score of 207.0 and Yi Siling, who won bronze.
In the final round, she opened with a slight lead before shooting a 10.5 out of 10.9, which Li Du matched.
“It’s just such a great thing to come together, especially in her first Games, so young”, said Scherer, 25, a TCU product.
“I’m so happy to start off Rio 2016 with a gold medal for my country”, she said.
Said the engineering major, who also goes by “Ginny”: “I knew it was realistic for me to make the final, but I wasn’t focused on that”.
Thrasher grinned on the podium, hand over her heart, as the American flag was raised and the Star Spangled Banner played in the background.
“It’s really hard”, said the silver medalist, “There were some expectations, but It’s just too hard”.
Taking the lead after the third series of the final, she never looked back.
“I couldn’t stop myself from looking at the standings time and again”, she added.
