By Brittany Nelson, USAS Public Relations & Communications Manager
COLO SPRGS, CO (Jan 21, 2025) – USA Shooting experienced much success on the international stage during the 2024 season with a total of 68 medals including six medals at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, 23 medals at the Championships of the Americas (CAT), nine medals at the Paralympic Arequipa Grand Prix, and 10 medals at the Junior World Championships.
“The extraordinary achievements of our athletes in 2024 represent more than just medals – they showcase the relentless dedication, precision, and excellence that define USA Shooting,” said Kelly Reisdorf, CEO of USA Shooting. “From Vincent Hancock’s historic fourth gold to YanXiao Gong’s breakthrough Paralympic performance, each success story strengthens our foundation for developing the next generation of American champions who will continue to make our country proud. As we build on this momentum, we remain committed to expanding access to shooting sports and nurturing talent at all levels.”
Olympics and Paralympics
USA Shooting had an incredible showing at the most notable of competitions, the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Sagen Maddalena, a sergeant in the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, earned the first U.S. shooting medal of the Olympic Games with a silver in Women’s 50m Rifle Three Positions. Maddalena also qualified for the Women’s Air Rifle final where she placed fourth overall.
The shotgun team had an amazing run at the games with athletes making five finals resulting in four medals. Vincent Hancock made history when he earned gold in Men’s Skeet. He now has four Olympic gold medals in Men’s Skeet, making him the sixth Olympian ever to win four gold medals in the same event. Conner Prince joined Hancock on the podium with a silver medal in Men’s Skeet.
“Standing on that podium for the fourth time was surreal, but sharing it with my teammate Conner Prince made it truly special,” said Vincent Hancock, four-time Olympic gold medalist. “This sport has given me everything, and being able to make history while representing the United States is the greatest honor of my career.”
Austen Smith earned her first Olympic medal with a bronze in Women’s Skeet. Smith and Hancock teamed up and earned a silver medal in Mixed Skeet Team. Derrick Mein qualified for the Men’s Trap finals where he finished fifth overall.
Katelyn Abeln made history in Paris when she qualified for the Women’s 25m Sport Pistol final. Abeln, who made her Olympic debut in Paris, is the first U.S. woman to ever qualify for an Olympic pistol final. She finished eighth overall.
YanXiao Gong earned his first Paralympic medal at the Paris Games with a silver medal in P3 Mixed 25m Pistol SH1. Gong’s silver became the first male Paralympic medal for the U.S. since 2004 and the first Paralympic pistol medal for the U.S. since 1984. Gong also qualified for the P4 Mixed 50m Pistol SH1 final where he finished eighth overall.
USA Shooting’s overall Paralympic and Olympic medal count currently stands at 127. View all Olympic and Paralympic medals earned by USA Shooting since 1896 here.
International Competitions
The team also had a great showing at the Rifle/Pistol and Shotgun CAT Games. The Rifle and Pistol team earned 16 medals in the spring at the Buenos, Aries, Argentina competition. The U.S. was one of the 21 countries competing for a chance to raise our flag over the podium. Over 170 athletes participated in the annual rifle and pistol competition. Paris 2024 Olympian Ivan Roe took home an impressive six medals along with teammates Tim Sherry and Paris 2024 Olympic medalist Sagen Maddalena both earned four.
The shotgun team earned seven medals at their CAT Games last March in the Dominican Republic. Paris 2024 Olympian Ryann Phillips earned two medals. Derrick Mein, another Paris Olympian, earned the title of Men’s Trap champion as well as a second medal in Men’s Trap Team. Phillip Jungman, Tokyo 2020 Olympian, also earned two medals total.
The Paralympic team had a fruitful year of competitions. At the World Shooting Para Sport Grand Prix in Arequipa, the team brought in a haul of nine medals. Paris 2024 Paralympians McKenna Geer, Kevin Nguyen, Marco De La Rosa, and Jazmin Almlie-Ryan all won two medals each. The U.S. was recognized as the country with the highest overall medal count.
Juniors Program
In the fall, junior athletes earned a remarkable total of 10 medals at the Junior World Championships in Lima, Peru. Braden Peiser was crowned champion in Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions after an exciting final. Peiser earned a total of three medals at the competition. Shotgun athletes Gracie Hensley, Benjamin Keller, and Jordan Sapp all earned two medals each.
See all of the international medals earned in 2024 here.
Looking Ahead
As USA Shooting looks to 2025 as it’s 30th anniversary year as the National Governing Body for Olympic and Paralympic shooting sports, the organization is poised to build on its historic success. This milestone anniversary year will feature special events celebrating three decades of American excellence in competitive shooting, while also focusing on qualification opportunities for the 2026 World Championships. With a strong pipeline of emerging talent and veteran champions continuing to lead the way, USA Shooting is committed to expanding grassroots programs and developing the next generation of American champions. The organization will announce details of its 30th anniversary celebrations and 2025 competition schedule in the coming months.
About USA Shooting
USA Shooting, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation was chartered by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the Olympic & Paralympic Shooting Sports in April 1995. The organization develops and implements programs to promote growth in the sport and serves as a sanctioning body for local and national competitions. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center, USA Shooting has a full-time staff dedicated to our sport.