Junior rifle and pistol athletes, several of whom were competing at their first ever international competition, earned eight medals and eight quotas at the 2025 Junior Championship of the Americas (CAT Games), held in Asuncion, Paraguay, February 27 to March 4.
The U.S. quotas that athletes earned at the 2025 Junior CAT Games are for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games, which will take place in Asuncion, Paraguay, August 9-23. 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 include athletes from North, South and Central American countries.
Grayson Muller kicked off the medal collection for Team USA at the 2025 Junior CAT Games with a silver in Junior Men’s 10m Air Rifle, which marks his first medal in international competition.
Not only that, 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. In addition, 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,” Peter Durben, USA Shooting’s national rifle coach said. “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.”
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 Junior 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, along with Marcus Klemp and Reese Metzler, earned first place in the Junior Men’s 10m Air Pistol Team event.
Eva Allan, Suman Sanghera and Danae Bell teamed up 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 won gold in the Junior Mixed Team Air Pistol event, marking the eighth and final medal for Team USA at the 2025 Junior CAT Games.
Klemp, Lim, Sanghera and Allan all earned quotas slots at the competition for 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,” Jason Turner, USA Shooting’s national pistol coach and and a past Olympic medalist said. “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.
All medals and quotas earned by USA Shooting athletes are listed 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 and 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
- Junior Men’s 10m Air Rifle: Tyler Wee and Jack Ogoreuc (two)
- Junior Women’s 10m Air Rifle: Regan Diamond, Gracie Dinh (two)
- Men’s 10m Air Pistol: Marcus Klemp and Nathan Lim (two)
- Women’s 10m Air Pistol: Suman Sanghera and Eva Allan
The U.S. junior shotgun team is currently competing in the 2025 Junior Shotgun CAT Games in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Learn more about USA Shooting at usashooting.org.
