July 25th, 2021
Sunday GunDay: Will Shaner wins the Air Rifle Olympic Gold Medal
Twenty-year-old William Shaner has just won the USA’s second Gold Medal in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The University of Kentucky marksman won Gold in the 10-meter (10m), Air Rifle and set an Olympic record. Shaner scored 251.6 points on the 10m final to break the Olympic Record. This is just 1.2 points short of the world record. Will scored at least 10.5 on 13 of his 24 shots during the final. William was using a Walther Air Rifle at the Tokyo Games.
William hails from Colorado Springs, Colorado. He began his shooting career when he was nine years old in a 4H program located in Rifle, Colorado.
CLICK HERE to view Yahoo News Video on William Shaner Gold Medal in 10M Fire Rifle.
Young Will Shaner Was Calm After Record-Setting Victory
USA Today reported that Will Shaner reacts like someone who can’t grasp the idea of winning a Gold Medal. Shaner won the U.S. Gold Medal without any yelling, fist pumping, or jumping. Shooting the first ever Gold Medal in men’s 10 meter air rifle. Even a wave is not enough. You couldn’t tell he was smiling because a huge Nike Team USA mask covered his entire face.
He said, “I’m still trying to believe it,” afterward. “It’s been a long while, though, growing up in this sport, progressing. It’s incredible to finally have the gold medal.
“Yesterday [was] a slow start for everybody,” he stated, as Team USA was left without a medal for the first competition day in nearly 50 years. It’s incredible to see it move today. It’s truly an honor.
Will Shaner, winner of the Gold Medal, becomes a Twitter star
Team USA tweeted the Gold Medal Winner after his win. One respondent called Will the “GOAT”, meaning the greatest of all time, after Will set an Olympic Record. Although it may sound exaggerated, Shaner did manage to score the highest 10m Air Rifle final score ever in Olympic history.
Will Shaner, 20, won the second Gold Medal at the Tokyo Olympics for the United States. Will, a Colorado Springs, CO native, won the men’s 10-meter air rifle with a final round score 251.6 at Asaka Shooting Range. This beat out Sheng Lihao (16), by 0.7. China’s Yang Haoran won the bronze medal, just 0.4 behind Sheng.
Shaner set a new Olympic record of 251.6 with his score.
The University of Kentucky student in mechanical engineering is the 20-year old
Sheng Lihao, a silver medalist from China, is just 16 years old
Shaner’s win was the first Gold Medal won by the United States in the 10m event.
Shaner began his marksmanship training in Rifle, Colorado at age 9.
Shaner wins gold and stands on the podium on NBC4 New York.
CLICK PHOTO for video on NBC 4 New York.
Will Shaner — From Colorado to Kentucky to Olympic Glory
William is one of the two University of Kentucky (UK), Rifle athletes participating in the Tokyo Olympics. He was one of the top prospects in the country when he entered college. He was also named NCAA Rookie-of-the Year his freshman year. He was also an All American First Team member in smallbore and air rifle. William was second in the NCAA Air Rifle individual title and won the team gold with Kentucky his second year. He did the same feat with UK his junior season.
William began shooting sports at the age of nine years old in a small 4-H program in Rifle Colorado. He began to shoot monthly preliminary tryout events (PTO) at the Olympic Training Center, before he was able to qualify for major matches. At age 11, he won his first Junior Olympic Gold Medal in 50m prone. He also made the Junior National Team at 14 which propelled him to the international circuit. Fast forward a decade, and William is, according USAS records, America’s youngest Men’s Olympic Rifle Qualifier.
William Shaner also shoots Smallbore Rifle (.22 LR), for the University of Kentucky.
CLICK PHOTO for a full-screen image featuring Shaner with Bleiker.22LR Rifle.
Will is driven by perfection and an appreciation for his small-town roots. He strives to be a role example for the next generation. He attributes his success to the National Training Center Shooting Club, USA Shooting and the University of Kentucky.
Team USA Rifle Shooters at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics
USA Shooting sent 20 Olympians to Tokyo Olympic Games to represent the United States at the able-bodied shooting events (there is also a Paralympic shooting team). Our athletes have received 8 quotas in the shotgun disciplines, 8 for the rifle disciplines and 6 for the pistol disciplines (a total of 22). Here are the 8 Rifle Competitors: The four Air Rifle shooters, and four Smallbore shooters.
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Tags: Bleiker Smallbore. Colorado Springs. Team USA. Twitter Gold Medal. Walther Air Rifle. Will Shaner. William Shaner.
