Kim Rhode Takes Women’s Skeet Gold At Pan Am Games

Six-time Olympic medalist and NRA Board Member Kim Rhode earned a gold medal for the third consecutive time at this year’s Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru, on Friday, August 2. This is the fourth time overall Rhode has secured the gold at the Pan Am Games.

Between her Women’s Skeet gold medal and teammate Dania Vizzi winning the bronze, Team USA earned two spots on the podium for the fourth time in four events at the match.

Rhode qualified first with a score of 119 out of 125, while Vizzi qualified third with a score of 117.

Once in the final, Rhode started out by missing just two targets out of her first 30, with Francisca Crovetto (Chile) and Vizzi each missing six. Missing four times over her next 20 shots, Vizzi was eliminated in the bronze-medal position after shooting 50. Crovetto would miss three times over that same stretch. With 10 targets remaining, Rhode had a five-target advantage on Crovetto. Rhode won the final in an eight-target victory.

It was an impassioned win for Rhode, who is looking ahead to Tokyo 2020.

In an interview with Team USA’s Jordan Klein, she said, “I almost cried up there when they were playing the national anthem. I was thinking about the upcoming Olympics, and it’s just so emotional to hear the anthem for me. Every journey is different and each one presents its own obstacles. I’m just thrilled that things turned out well today.”

Photo courtesy of USA Shooting