USA Shooting Three Times Airgun Match Ends

12/5/07

Colorado Springs, Colorado - The 2007 USA Shooting Three Times Airgun Match came to a close with 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Matt Emmons, Katy Emmons, Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Libby Callahan and Sgt. 1st Class Daryl L. Szarenski of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit of Fort Benning, Ga., claiming titles on the final day of competition.

In Men's Air Rifle, Emmons of Browns Mills, N.J., took the title for the third day in a row shooting a 599, then a 103.1 in the finals for a total score of 702.1. Matt Rawlings of Wharton, Texas, also shot a 103.1 in the finals, finishing in second place with a total score of 700.1.

Thomas Csenge of Keene, N.H., captured third place as well as first place for the junior men with a total score of 697.3. Bryant Wallizer of Little Orleans, Md., took second for the junior men with 693.1 and Michael Kulbacki of DuBois, Pa., took third with 689.2. Paralympic shooter Michael Dickey of Trafford, Ala., shot a perfect score of 600.

Szarenski, a two-time Olympian, took the top spot in Men's Air Pistol today, finishing with a total score of 676.5. Cody Owsley of Tonganoxie, Kan., finished in second place with 675.1 and 2004 Olympian Jason Turner of Rochester, N.Y., finished right behind Owsley in third place with a score of 675.0.

Owsley took the top spot in Junior Men's Air Pistol, while Anthony Lutz of Tonganoxie, Kan., took second again today with 663.7 and Nicholas Budnella of Colorado Springs, Colo., the day one and two champion, took third with 660.2.

In Women's Air Rifle, 2004 Olympic Bronze Medalist for the Czech Republic, Katy Emmons, took the title for the third day in a row, shooting a match score of 399 and a final of 105.1 for a total score of 504.1. Marie Gigon of France finished second with 501.9 and Emmons' Czech teammate Pavla Kalna took third place with a total score of 500.3.

Lisa Kunzelman of Constantia, N.Y., captured the title for the third day in a row for the Junior Air Rifle women with a total score of 499.8. Sarah Scherer of Billerica, Mass., finished close behind Kunzelman in second with 499.0, while Taylor Beard of Parker, Colo., took third with 493.7.

In Women's Air Pistol, Callahan, a three-time Olympian from Columbia, S.C., captured the title with a score of 468.1. Heather Deppe of Monument, Colo., took second with 467.3 and Navy Reserve Petty Officer 2nd Class Sandra Uptagrafft of Firestone, Colo., finished in third place with 463.4.

Deppe claimed first place for the junior women, while Courtney Anthony of Lexington, Neb., took second with 458.3 and Kelsey Imig of Westminster, Mass., finished third with 450.7.

More than 200 rifle and pistol airgun shooters from across the United States as well as Canada, the Czech Republic, France and Puerto Rico competed at the U.S. Olympic Shooting Center Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 in the 2007 USA Shooting Three Times Air Match. This three-day event served as a qualifier for the Bavarian Airgun Match, which will be conducted in Munich, Germany, in January.

Complete results from the competition can be found by visiting USA Shooting's website at www.usashooting.org.

(Formed in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to raise the standards of marksmanship throughout the U.S. Army, the Army Marksmanship Unit is assigned to the Accessions Support Brigade of the U.S. Army Accessions Command. The Marksmanship Unit trains its Soldiers to win competitions and enhances combat readiness through train-the-trainer clinics, research and development. For more information on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, contact the Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-5436, paula.j.randall@us.army.mil or www.usamu.com. USA Shooting is recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Shooting Sport Federation as the national governing body for the Olympic and international shooting sports in the United States. For more information on USA Shooting, contact Public Relations Manager Mary Beth Vorwerk at (719) 866-4896, marybeth.vorwerk@usashooting.org or http://www.usashooting.com.)

Media Contact:
Mary Beth Vorwerk, USA Shooting (719) 866-4896, or marybeth.vorwerk@usashooting.org