Victory In Athens

USA Shotgun Team Posts High Scores
But Clinches Few Medals at Grenada (Spain) World Cup

GRENADA, Spain - It wasn't that the U.S. Shotgun Team came up short in its quest for world-class scores at the Grenada World Cup June 22-29. In fact, it was the contrary--a number of the nation's elite had their best performances of the year. They just weren't good enough.

"There was a staggering amount of people competing, and everyone has been working really hard and staying very focused," Coach Lloyd Woodhouse said. "But it does get a little frustrating when we are shooting such high scores and then can't even make it in the finals. I'm not too worried, as long as I can keep the athletes aggressive and motivated until the World Shotgun Championships in the fall, I think we will be in a very good position."

Although the U.S. men have a little more time in which to win Olympic quota slots, this may likely be one of the last opportunities for the U. S. Women's shotgun shooters. Although the U.S. did not secure any new Olympic Quotas in its trip to Spain, there were a couple success stories, nevertheless.

Glen Eller, the 21-year-old Olympian from Katy,Texas, made a huge come-from-behind sweep in the final leg of the men's double trap competition to win the U.S. its only gold medal. Eller went into the final three points behind Australian Mark Russell. Shooting a 46, which more than made up the deficit, sent him three points ahead for a total score of 185. Eller had previously won an Olympic quota in this event so he was not eligible to win another quota.

Kim Rhode (El Monte, Calif.) won a silver in the women's double trap. She finished just a target off from picking up the gold. Lin Jing Wang, from China, won with a total score of 140. Rhode finished with a 139.

Theresa Dewitt finished in seventh place in the women's trap contest with a score of 70. Dewitt, along with teammates Whitley Loper and Lacy Holtz, clinched a silver in the women's team event. The women's double trap team of Rhode, Joetta Dement and Kyndra Hogan also took silver.

In men's double trap, Bret Erickson (Buena Vista Ga.) shot a 146 (out of 150), a very high score for any international competition, but finished in fourth place. A strong finish from Randy Sotowa in men's skeet didn't get half the credit it deserved. Sotowa scored a 122 (out of 125) and didn't even make it to the finals. Russian Valeri Shomin swept the event, breaking 150 targets in a row for a perfect score.

For full results of the Grenada World Cup, please log on to www.usashooting.org.