Mary Tucker topped the podium as the 2023 Pan American Games Champion in Women’s 50m Smallbore Rifle on October 25 in Santiago, Chile.
Tucker was one of the top eight athletes who earned a spot in the finals after shooting a qualification score of 590-32X. Tucker was joined in the final by Sagen Maddalena who tied the qualification world record with a score of 596-40X.
In the final, Tucker secured her gold with a final score of 458.4, setting a new Pan American Games final record. USA Shooting teammate Sagen Maddalena finished in second place overall with a score of 457.2.
“Sagen and I have been going back and forth recently, both in air gun and smallbore, so it is nice to have that internationally and not just in the United States,” Tucker, a two-time World Championship medalist said. “It is nice to have someone from your own country up there. I don’t mind if it is her gold and my silver or my gold and her silver, I am just happy that the U.S. has one and two.”
Tucker and Maddalena also went head-to-head in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle final. Maddalena took gold, triumphing over Fernanda Russo of Argentina. Tucker was close behind, earning bronze.
Tucker is taking home a total of three medals from her Pan American Games debut. She claimed gold in Mixed Team Air Rifle alongside Rylan Kissell and bronze in Women’s 10m Air Rifle. Maddalena is also bringing home three Pan American Games medals. She earned a Pan American Games Champion title in Women’s 10m Air Rifle and a bronze in Mixed Team Air Rifle with Gavin Barnick.
After the United States Olympic Trials Part One, Tucker is currently sitting in the number two overall spot in Women’s 50m Smallbore rifle, one spot below Sagen Maddalena, and third overall in Women’s 10m Air Rifle, just below Alison Weisz in second and Maddalena in first.
Tucker mentioned that she feels confident for the second part of Olympic trials this December.
“I am on the right track,” Tucker said. “I am going to keep working on both of my guns, but this definitely gives me confidence that my smallbore is going the way I need it to, so I am happy with the progress.”
USA Shooting athletes have topped the podium 13 times as of Thursday, October 26. Our partners and sponsors, including the NRA Foundation, Safari Club International, the International Order of T. Roosevelt, Hillsdale College, the MidwayUSA Foundation, Spandau, Eley, White Flyer, Ruger, NSSF, Winchester and USCCA among others have been a huge support for this successful 2023 Pan American Games Team.
Medalists 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 & Mary Tucker: Gold, Mixed 10m Air Rifle Team
- Sagen Maddalena & Gavin Barnick: Bronze, Mixed 10m Air Rifle Team
- Vincent Hancock & Dania Vizzi: Gold, Mixed Skeet Team
- Dustan Taylor & 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)
USA Shooting athletes will be competing in rifle, pistol, and shotgun events through Friday, October 27. View live scores here.
Learn more about USA Shooting at usashooting.org.
