In a sport where athletes distin- guish themselves by the slimmest of margins, performances like the 2012 USA Shooting Athletes of the Year Kim Rhode and Vincent Hancock radiate beyond comparison. Leaving no doubt, these skeet perfection- ists scaled new heights with their dominating performances. Their history-making accomplishments are a testament to the will, resolve and dedication they each have for their craft.
Domination and the pursuit of perfection hasn’t become a once-in- a-while thing but rather a full-time occupation for the five-time Olympian Rhode who now owns a U.S. Olympic record of five medals in five consecu- tive Olympic Games. Her shooting legacy aside, this sport has longed for a transcendent star that can appeal to the masses. All the ac- colades, medals and awards pale in comparison to the attention she pro- vides to a sport desperate for greater acceptance and understanding. Two years ago, pursuit of gold was furthest from Hancock’s mind. Mired in a shooting drought and void of desire, Hancock contemplated retire- ment. It’s good for the sport that his wife, Rebekah, eventually got him re-focused. He’s now as good as he’s ever been as evidenced by his 2012 performance which saw him win his second straight Olympic gold medal. With his drive and competitive desire restored, the world’s best skeet shooters might be lining up behind him for a long time to come.
Photo U.S. Presswire
Vincent Hancock finished 11th at the first World Cup of the 2012 season. At the expense of all competitors, he found his groove shortly thereafter.
Photo U.S. Presswire 70 USA Shooting News | Year in Review 2012
You simply can’t have a better 2012 than Kim Rhode as she won a World Cup, medaled in another and walked away from London as one of the all-time Olympic greats.