Adriana Ruano of Guatemala won the Women's Trap event gold medal and set a new Olympic record with 45 of 50 targets at the Paris 2024 Olympics yesterday during a thrilling final at the Chateauroux Shooting Center.
The win marks her country's first ever gold at the Olympic Games.
"I can't even believe it's for real. I’m so happy," Ruano said. "I'm honored to be here, and it wasn't easy to get here again. I want to thank Guatemala, and also my father."
The 29-year-old shotgunner was perfect for her first 16 shots in the final, only missing four more to walk away from the match with her Olympic record-breaking 45 score. The previous record of 43 was set by Zuzana Rehak of Slovakia at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Ruano is the defending Pan American Games champion in the event after after winning a gold medal with a score of 38 in Santiago, Chile, last year.
Despite issues securing ammunition in Guatemala last year, along with only one suitable range in her country located in Guatemala City to practice at, Ruano rose to the top of the Paris 2024 Women's Trap leaderboard.
"I hope more people can do the same or more for the sport," Ruano said. "We only have one range, so I hope this will make the sport bigger and more people will try it."
Remarkably, Ruano said she only practices about three to four rounds of trap a week, equating to about three or four boxes of shotshells. Prior to the Olympics, she practiced in Peru, Italy and another site in France.
Ruano has been working with a coach from Spain since 2022, who she wasn't able to see for 14 days prior to the 2023 Pan American Games, due to corruption in Guatemalan athletics. Apparently, the leadership was stealing money and resources meant for Guatemalan athletes.
Additionally, Guatemala as a country was suspended from Olympic competition at the Tokyo 2020 Games. The International Olympic Committee provisionally lifted the suspension in March 2024.
For Ruano, after a long journey, seeing her flag and hearing the Guatemalan national anthem during the Women's Trap medal ceremony was a dream come true.
"The dream of every athlete is seeing their flag in first place in international competition and listening to their anthem," Ruano said. "I'm so happy I was able to hear the Guatemalan anthem today."
Ruano was a gymnast before becoming a competitive shooter, but when a spinal injury left her with six damaged vertebrae at age 16, she wasn't able to continue in artistic gymnastics. It was her doctor that suggested trap competition to her, along with her brother, who is a skeet shooter.
"I came through a system where I was training in gymnastics for two hours in the morning, then was going to school and then going back for a second session in the afternoon," Ruano said. "When I had my injury, I didn't have anything. I started to get desperate, and I was frustrated. Then the door opened for me with this sport."
Shooting Sports USA will continue to report the latest news and updates from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Check back with the website often.
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