Ginny Thrasher Wins First Gold Medal in Rio

by
posted on August 6, 2016
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
gt1.jpg
Ginny Thrasher, 19, of Springfield, VA, won the first gold medal of the Olympics this year in Rio. Thrasher triumphed over silver medalist Du Li of China in the finals by a full point in the women's 10 meter air rifle event. 

A member of this year's NCAA champion West Virginia University rifle team, Thrasher faced a challenging Olympic field at the Olympic Shooting Center—especially the veteran competitive shooter Du, who was a gold medal winner at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. 

Ginny Thrasher is now the third U.S. shooter to win the women's 10 meter air rifle event at the Olympics, and the first since Nancy Napolski-Johnson won the gold in 2000.

The event was streamed live on the NBC Olympics website. 

Thrasher's USA Shooting teammate Sarah Scherer finished in eighth place.

Watch Ginny Thrasher on the Olympic range again this Thursday, August 11, for the women’s 50 meter rifle 3-P event.

Need help finding your favorite competitive shooters on TV and online this year at the Olympics? Our friends at NRA Family have an article that will help.

Photo credit to WVU Athletics.

Latest

Guide 2026 Biathlon Milan 8
Guide 2026 Biathlon Milan 8

Where Endurance Meets Precision: Olympic Biathlon at Milan Cortina 2026

Olympic biathlon merges rifle precision and endurance, where missed shots reshape races and Milan Cortina 2026 sets the stage for the sport’s ultimate test.

Milan Cortina 2026: Deedra Irwin Chasing Team USA’s First Olympic Biathlon Medal

Deedra Irwin enters Milan Cortina 2026 as one of Team USA’s top hopes for its first Olympic biathlon medal.

Review: TriStar Arms KR22 Rimfire

TriStar Arms enters the rimfire market with the KR22, a budget-friendly .22 LR rifle offering 10/22 magazine compatibility and modern features.

Best Of SHOT Show 2026: Top Shotguns

SHOT Show 2026 highlighted the latest shotguns, from over/unders for competition to field-ready semi-automatics with adjustable stocks and enhanced handling features.

NRA America’s Rifle Challenge Stages Put Practical AR Skills on Display at NRA World Shooting Championship

ARC Level One and Two-Gun stages at the 2025 NRA World Shooting Championship highlighted practical AR skills, competitive efficiency and the program’s nationwide training mission.

New: Stoeger STR-9 Thinline+

Stoeger’s STR-9 Thinline+ keeps a one-inch profile while adding a ported barrel, optic support and 19+1-round capacity.

Interests



Get the best of Shooting Sports USA delivered to your inbox.