LONATO, Italy — Vincent Hancock keeps finding new ways to make history. The four-time Olympic gold medalist and five-time World Champion shattered all 36 targets in the Men’s Skeet final at the 2026 ISSF World Cup Shotgun on Tuesday, July 7, setting a new world record on his way to another gold medal.
Hancock entered the final in third position, then delivered the kind of performance that has defined a two-decade career at the top of international skeet. Not a single target escaped him through the elimination rounds, and his perfect 36 established a new benchmark for the event while extending one of the sport's most remarkable runs of dominance. It marked his 23rd ISSF World Cup gold medal.
Right behind him was U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit shooter Christian Elliott, who dropped just one target in the final—his last—to finish with 35 and claim silver. On most days, Elliott’s score wins the match outright. Instead, the two Americans pulled away from the field together, trading perfect stations deep into the closing stages before Hancock’s flawless card decided it. Erik Pittini of Italy took bronze with 32.
“Lonato, Italy has been one of my favorite ranges around the world, and thankfully I’ve had a lot of good success there over the years,” said Hancock, who shoots for Team Federal. “Being able to win this gold medal and set a new World Record along the way was exactly what I was hoping for on this trip. The field of athletes vying for medals is growing and getting stronger each year, so I'm incredibly grateful for this victory!”
The record run adds to what has already been a landmark stretch for Hancock, who earlier this year received the 2026 NRA Golden Bullseye Competitor Award recognizing his career achievements and his commitment to developing the next generation of American shooters.
“Hancock continues to cement himself as the greatest skeet shooter of all time,” said Jason Nash, vice president of marketing at Federal Ammunition. “Whether on home soil or on the international stage, he continues his reign in skeet shooting, and Federal is proud to play a part in his tremendous accomplishments.”
An ISSF report on the match praised Hancock’s flawless final, noting that the world record underscores his extraordinary longevity at the very top of international shooting sport and reinforces his status as one of the sport’s all-time greats.
With the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics on the horizon—where Hancock has said he hopes to defend his title on home soil before retiring—the American superstar shows no signs of slowing down.
See the full results of the 2026 ISSF World Cup Lonato at the ISSF website.
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