Alexis “Lexi” Lagan posted a bronze-medal performance in Women’s Sport Pistol on October 24, as well as securing silver in the Women’s 10m Air Pistol event on October 26 at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, capturing the United States an Olympic quota slot for Paris 2024.
“It feels awesome,” Lagan, a 2020 Tokyo Olympian said. “I am doing my job. This is what I came out here to do. I wanted to secure the air pistol quota specifically and I got it.”
Lagan, a Boulder City, Nevada, native, has now earned a total of two Olympic quotas over the course of her shooting career. At the 2018 Championships of the Americas Games (CAT Games) she earned the United States a Women’s 25m Sport Pistol quota for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
“I am really proud of the work that I have done in both disciplines,” Lagan, a three-time 2022 CAT Games medalist said. “Securing it in air pistol is a solidifier of my strength in air pistol as well as sport pistol. I feel like a well-rounded shooter that can participate in both disciplines comfortably and well.”
Lagan earned the quota and silver medal in air pistol after defeating Diana Durango of Ecuador, who finished fourth. Lagan’s final score of 231.5 put her in second place, right behind gold medalist Alejandra Zavala of Mexico.
Lagan earned her spot in the final alongside two teammates, Suman Sanghera and Lisa Emmert-Traciak. Sanghera finished first in the qualification round with a total score of 578, crushing the Pan American Games qualification record by 10 points. In addition, Emmert-Traciak and Lagan beat the old qualification record as well with scores of 571 and 570, respectively.
Lagan earned her bronze medal in Women’s Sport Pistol on October 24. She finished third overall in the final after edging out Emmert-Traciak who finished fourth.
After the U.S. Olympic Trials Part One, Lagan is currently sitting in the number one overall spot for Women’s 10m Air Pistol, and number four overall for Women’s Sport Pistol.
Lagan mentioned that the Pan American Games were great preparation for her path to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“Of all the competitions I have been to, this is by far the closest experience to the Olympics,” Lagan said. “This is a good opportunity for me to see what finals are going to be like at the Games. I am really confident now about my opportunities in Paris.”
USA Shooting athletes have topped the podium 18 times at the 2023 Pan American Games and earned the United States three Olympic quotas. Our partners and sponsors, including the NRA Foundation, Safari Club International, the International Order of T. Roosevelt, Hillsdale College and the MidwayUSA Foundation, have been a huge support for this successful 2023 Pan American Games Team.
Medals earned by USA Shooting athletes at the 2023 Pan American Games are listed below.
- Vincent Hancock: Gold, Men’s Skeet
- Sagen Maddalena: Gold, Women’s 10m Air Rifle
- Mary Tucker: Bronze, Women’s 10m Air Rifle
- Rylan Kissell: Silver, Men’s 10m Air Rifle
- Henry Leverett: Bronze, Men’s Rapid Fire Pistol (secured the U.S. an Olympic quota for Paris)
- Rylan Kissell and Mary Tucker: Gold, Mixed 10m Air Rifle Team
- Sagen Maddalena and Gavin Barnick: Bronze, Mixed 10m Air Rifle Team
- Vincent Hancock and Dania Vizzi: Gold, Mixed Skeet Team
- Dustan Taylor and Austen Smith: Bronze, Mixed Skeet Team
- Alexis Lagan: Bronze, Women’s 25m Sport Pistol
- Mary Tucker: Gold, Women’s 50m Smallbore Rifle
- Sagen Maddalena: Silver, Women’s 50m Smallbore Rifle
- Alexis Lagan: Silver, Women’s 10m Air Pistol (secured the U.S. an Olympic quota for Paris)
- James Hall: Silver, Men’s 10m Air Pistol
- Rachel Tozier: Bronze, Women’s Trap Pistol (secured the U.S. an Olympic quota for Paris)
- Tim Sherry: Silver, Men’s 50m Smallbore Rifle
- Lucas Kozeniesky: Bronze, Men’s 50m Smallbore Rifle
- Nick Mowrer and Lisa Emmert-Traciak: Bronze, Mixed Team Air Pistol
See the results of the 2023 Pan American Games here.
Learn more about USA Shooting at usashooting.org.
