COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado   – The USA Shooting Team will get their first crack at the new Changwon International Shooting Range – the host range for the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Championship later this summer – when they compete at the ISSF World Cup in Changwon, South Korea starting Sundayand concluding on April 29.

Nearly 900 athletes from 70 countries have descended on Changwon to compete in all 15 Olympic events in Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun.  USA Shooting has sent 35 athletes to Changwon looking to build on their success from the previous World Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico where the U.S. finished second in the medal count with six (three gold, one silver and two bronze).

All those medals in Guadalajara came from the shotgun events and the U.S. looks to bolster that number with the return of medalists from that match and athletes who’ve earned their spots on the World Championship Team.

Guadalajara gold medalists Ashley Carroll (Solvang, California, Women’s Trap, pictured) and Vincent Hancock (Eatonton, Georgia, Men’s Skeet) will compete once again in Changwon.

At the World Cup in Guadalajara in March, Carroll bested 2016 Olympic gold medalist Catherine Skinner of Australia en route to the gold in the first ISSF World Cup in which the new format of men and women shooting an equal number of competition shots was implemented. This World Cup also marked Hancock’s return to international competition since 2016 where he entered the Final with the highest Qualification score (123/125), then later equaled the World Record in the Final, hitting 59/60 targets.

Aeriel Skinner (Jackson, California), who had a breakout performance in Guadalajara with two bronze medals (one in Women’s Trap and the other in Mixed Trap Team), will also compete in Changwon.

Though Guadalajara gold medalist and six-time Olympic medalist Kim Rhode (El Monte, California)will be shooting at this World Cup, she will be shooting in a Minimum Qualifying Score position (ineligible for Finals or medals). The Women’s Skeet medal prospects, however, are still in very capable hands as five-time World Cup silver medalist (including one on Guadalajara in March) Caitlin Connor (Winnfield, Louisiana), 2017 World Champion Dania Vizzi (Odessa, Florida) and Amber English will compete. Though English (Colorado Springs, Colorado) took the past year off from international competition to join the U.S. Army, she’s proven she’s not lost her competitive edge, securing a spot on the World Championship Team through the grueling, two-match trials process.

On the rifle side, Olympians Matt Emmons and Michael McPhail will make their return to international competition as well, following the 2016 season. Both men also earned berths on the World Championship Team and will compete in Men’s Three-Position Rifle.  Look for recent National Junior Olympic Champion Logan Ogden (Galway, New York) to post a strong performance as well in his international debut. Though a Junior by age, Ogden secured a spot on the Open Team for the World Championship and has been consistently posting world-class scores in Men’s Air Rifle. On the women’s side, 2016 Olympic gold medalist Ginny Thrasher (Springfield, Virginia) will also compete at this World Cup.

Complete schedule and results from this ISSF World Cup: http://www.issf-sports.org/competitions/venue/schedule.ashx?cshipid=2391. The ISSF World Championship will take place in Changwon, South Korea as well August 31 - September 14.

*Photo courtesy of ISSF

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