It's safe to say shooting had itself an Olympics to remember at the 2024 Paris Games.
Two athletes were the talk of the town on social media and United States' Vincent Hancock continued to show why he's a legend in Olympic shooting — and how he's paving the way for young American shooters to have success.
On top of that, records were broken in multiple events.
Medal table
| Country | 🥇-🥈-🥉 | Total |
|---|---|---|
| China | 5 - 2 - 3 | 10 |
| South Korea | 3 - 3 - 0 | 6 |
| USA | 2 - 2 - 1 | 5 |
| Italy | 1 - 1 - 2 | 4 |
| India | 0 - 0 - 3 | 3 |
| Guatemala | 1 - 0 - 1 | 2 |
| Switzerland | 1 - 0 - 1 | 2 |
| Great Britain | 1 - 1 - 0 | 2 |
| Serbia | 1 - 0 - 0 | 1 |
| Chile | 1 - 0 - 0 | 1 |
Vincent Hancock adds to his legacy
American legend Vincent Hancock became one of six Americans to win at least four gold medals in Olympic shooting after claiming gold in the men's skeet event. He also joined an elite group of athletes to win four gold medals in the same event, including Olympic legends Al Oerter, Carl Lewis and Michael Phelps.
On top of cementing his GOAT status in the sport, Hancock helped two young American shooters also win their first Olympic medals.
Austen Smith and Conner Prince train under Hancock at his youth-focused center in Northlake, Texas. Smith was Hancock's partner in the inaugural mixed team skeet event and won silver alongside him. For Prince, he pushed Hancock all the way to 60 shots in the men's skeet event but narrowly lost and came in second — winning his first silver medal.
Hancock said he's proud that his teachings came across to Smith and Prince and that they put their twist on it to become their own athletes.
Social media stars are born
If you've been on social media anytime while the Paris Olympics were going on, chances are you know who Kim Yeji and Yusuf Dikec are.
The South Korean and Turkish Olympic shooters took the social media world by storm. Both athletes went viral for catching the eyes of viewers across the world receiving positive remarks about their skill, shooting style — and aura.
Kim, looking like a movie star, wore an all-black suit, white hat and futuristic eye gear at the Games, but her aiming pose tops off her "main character energy" when she was out on the range.
Dikec's style was the complete opposite, and that's what intrigued social media users. His laid-back stance while he competed, casually putting one hand in his pocket and looking down the sights with his standard glasses, made waves online. He used no special equipment that a typical Olympic shooter might wear to prepare for an event.
"I did not need special equipment," he said afterward, according to EuroNews. "I'm a natural — a natural shooter."
Dikec's pose out on the shooting range has been used as a celebration for other Olympic athletes who won their events, such as Mondo Duplantis.
History for Guatemala
Guatemala's Adrianna Ruano certainly made her country proud at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
She won gold in the women's trap event, marking the first time the country has won gold in any sport at the Olympics.
She not only made history for her country but also for herself. Ruano broke the record for the highest score in Olympic history in women's trap, hitting 45 out of 50 shots.
And here's a fun fact: the 29-year-old used to be an artistic gymnast and even competed against Gabby Douglas and McKayla Maroney at the Pan American Championships before she suffered a spinal injury. Her injury forced her to change sports, and Ruano proved she could be just as good — if not better — in another Olympic sport.
USA's Sagen Maddalena gets first Olympic medal
Sagen Maddalena won silver in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions event, narrowly missing out on gold by 1.4 points. Just before, the 30-year-old had won an intense shoot-off for the opportunity to compete for gold.
It marked Maddalena’s first Olympic medal at her second Games for the U.S.
Maddalena, who has a military background, said she manifested the moment she'd won her first Olympic medal. Although it didn't come to fruition in Tokyo, it did in Paris.
“It has been a journey, I’ve been through the smooth times and the crazy times,” Maddalena said. “My ability took a big growth spurt when I went to Tokyo and placed fifth. That was a huge accomplishment for me and I used it as fuel for the fire. After Tokyo, I felt the flame lit that fire in my belly and I’ve been riding it ever since. Now, to come out on top in Paris, that was pretty cool.”