MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University sophomore Ginny Thrasher came up just short in her quest for a second straight Olympic finals appearance, placing 11th today in the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games’ women’s 50m rifle 3 positions competition, at the Olympic Shooting Centre, located inside Deodoro Park, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

 

A Gold Medalist five days ago in the women’s 10m air rifle, Thrasher, a native of Springfield, Virginia, shot 581 in the qualification this morning, just one shot away from tying for the last position in the eight-shooter final. The 2016 NCAA smallbore champion, she shot 193 kneeling, 199 prone and 189 standing.

 

 

“It was a difficult match – there were some tough conditions out there with the wind in standing,” Thrasher said to USA Shooting following the competition. “I’m a little disappointed not to make the final, but in the end, I shot the best I could.

 

“It’s been a great week, but I’m excited to come back and try again.”  

 

“Ginny came so close to making today’s final. This is a very respectable result and achievement, but I’m sure with her knowing how well she can compete in finals, there’s a bit of disappointment with the finish,” WVU rifle coach Jon Hammond said. “Having said that, today’s finish takes nothing away from the amazing week and summer she has had competing.

 

“There have been a few stressors and some up and down moments in preparing for these games, but (WVU sport psychology consultant) Raymond Prior helped her prepare, and I think she went to Brazil with a great attitude. She was as prepared as she could possibly be.”  

 

Also the reigning NCAA air rifle champion, Thrasher is the second student-athlete to earn an Olympic medal while still enrolled at WVU. James Jett (1989-1992) earned Gold with the USA men’s track 4x100 relay team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games before returning to Morgantown for his senior season with the Mountaineers.

 

“This has been an incredible experience for Ginny,” Hammond said. “To walk away from the Games with an Olympic Gold medal is incredible. The impact and significance of it all, given that Ginny’s medal was the first of the Rio Games, has added to the publicity, which has been great for Ginny, the WVU rifle program, West Virginia University and NCAA rifle. It’s also been fantastic for the sport, and hopefully people have learned more about rifle.”

 

Shooting for Italy, Petra Zublasing, a 2013 WVU graduate, finished fourth with a 437.7 final score. A native of Appiano, she shot an Olympic Record 589 in the qualification and finished first. Zublasing finished with 199 kneeling, 197 prone and 193 standing and was the only shooter to tally a 100 series in kneeling and prone.

 

Zublasing shot 411.6 and finished 33rd in air rifle on Aug. 6.

 

A 2015 WVU graduate, Ziva Dvorsak was the third Mountaineer to compete today. The Slovenia native shot 572 (196 kneeling, 191 prone, 185 standing) and finished in 30th place. She placed 17th in air rifle with 414.7 score.

 

Italian National Team member Nicco Campriani, a 2011 WVU graduate and a Rio Gold Medalist in men’s 10m air rifle, will compete in the final two rifle shooting events this weekend. Campriani shoots in the men’s 50m rifle prone competition on Friday, Aug. 12, with the qualification relay set to begin at 7 a.m. ET.

 

The defending Olympic Champion, Campriani will conclude his time at the Games with the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions competition on Sunday, Aug. 14. The qualification will begin at 7 a.m. ET, with the final to follow.