Colorado Springs, Colorado– Seven Tokyo 2020 Olympians depart this week to Poland to take their shot at ISSF President’s Cup (World Cup Finals) Rifle Pistol from November 3-10, 2021 in Wroclaw, Poland. The invites consist of five rifle athletes, Will Shaner (#1 Air Rifle Men), Lucas Kozeniesky (#3 Air Rifle Men), Mary Tucker (#1 Air Rifle Women and #7 50m Rifle 3-Positions Women), Ali Weisz (#8 Air Rifle Women), Sagen Maddalena (#5 50m Rifle 3-Positions Women); and two pistol athletes, Nick Mowrer (#10 Air Pistol Men), Lexi Lagan (#12 25m Pistol Women).
The competition is reserved for the top 12 athletes in the world in men’s and women’s rifle and pistol disciplines including air rifle, smallbore rifle, air pistol, sport pistol, and rapid-fire pistol.
All seven athletes will make their President’s Cup debut this week, which marks the largest Rifle/Pistol President’s Cup Team in USA Shooting history and the first time Team USA has two #1 ranked athletes in attendance.
For the first time since 2013, athletes will represent the United States in the Men’s 10m Air Rifle event where Shaner is currently ranked #1 after winning Gold at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Tucker, the Mixed Team Olympic Silver Medalist with teammate Kozeniesky, is also ranked #1 in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle event and will have the feat of competing in both Air Rifle and Smallbore Rifle, along with Mixed Team events.
2013 is also the last time the U.S. had athletes compete in the Men’s 10m Air Pistol event, represented this year by two-time Olympian, Mowrer. Teammate, Lagan will compete in the Women’s 25m Pistol event, which will be USA Shooting’s first athlete invited to President’s Cup for that event since 1999, and only the fifth ever in the organization’s history.
Coming off of the most successful Olympic Quad in history, USA Shooting rifle and pistol athletes looks to capitalize on the momentum from the last year. In 2020 and 2021, U.S. Rifle athletes have medaled in every World Cup attended and won two Olympic Medals in Tokyo.
Individual winners in each discipline will receive the Golden Target Award or “Best Athlete of the Year” title. In addition, €860,000 in prize money is up for grabs for all competitors.
A full list of qualified athletes by event can be found on the ISSF website (https://www.issf-sports.org/news.ashx?newsid=3624).
About USA Shooting
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. The organization implements and manages development programs and sanctions events at the local, state, regional, and national levels.
Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center, USA Shooting has a full-time staff dedicated to furthering the sport and supporting athletes and members of the organization. The organization has a USA Shooting News magazine publication, as well as public and member specific web sites.