American shooter Vincent Hancock secured his fourth Olympic gold medal in men’s skeet on Saturday, narrowly defeating his younger teammate Conner Prince, who claimed silver in his debut at the Games. Thailand’s Lee Meng Yuan earned the bronze medal.
At 35, Hancock becomes just the sixth athlete to clinch the same individual Olympic event four times, having previously triumphed in Beijing (2008), London (2012), and Tokyo (2020). He missed the podium in Rio 2016, finishing 15th.
His latest victory came with a tight score of 58-57 over Prince, 24, with the two frequently sharing high-fives throughout the competition.
“It was encouraging to see him perform at such a level, knowing I’d have to give my all to surpass him,” Hancock commented regarding Prince.
“For years, I’ve told him that he’s the only one who could break my records. Today, he showed he’s ready for this stage. He has a bright future ahead and can achieve anything he sets his mind to.”
Hancock followed Prince through the six-shooter final, taking advantage of a late miss from his teammate. Though he felt a mentor’s pride in watching Prince, the competitive spirit in him wouldn’t yield.
“That’s the toughest aspect; I genuinely wanted him to win, but I also wanted to claim victory myself,” Hancock reflected. “I’ve always assured him, ‘I will teach you all I know,’ and it turned out perfectly, regardless of the outcome.”
Prince described the experience of competing against Hancock as invaluable.
“He’s my coach and the top contender,” he expressed to reporters. “Being first and second with him is truly a dream come true.”
After missing the final at the Lonato World Cup in June, Hancock referred to it as a “wake-up call” that led to “a few enlightening moments.”
To prepare for Paris, he employed “distraction shooting” sessions, which included a chaotic mix of stimuli.
“There were loud music, horns blaring, people shouting in my ear, distractions on either side, and even my wife making faces and jumping around—anything to make me miss,” he recounted.
“It’s beneficial since you can’t realistically replicate the nerves and pressure of the Olympic Games, but this has come closest for me.”
Hancock also expressed his intention to compete for gold again in Los Angeles in 2028 while shifting some focus towards the business side of his sport.
“I believe that, for whatever reasons, I’ve been blessed with the skills to shoot targets exceptionally well,” Hancock said.
“I want to create opportunities for others to engage with the sport I love, and that’s where my career is evolving—how to make a more significant impact beyond just being an athlete and chasing medals.”
after newsletter promotion
“I aim to have the chance to establish more shooting ranges throughout the United States.”
Meanwhile, at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre on Saturday, South Korea’s Yang Ji-in won gold in the women’s 25 metres pistol event after a shoot-off against France’s Camille Jedrzejewski.
Both athletes finished tied on 37 points, prompting a shoot-off that Yang won 4-1, marking her Olympic debut.
“This gold medal affirms my position as the best in the world at this moment,” Yang stated. “I will strive to train harder to raise the flag even higher in LA.”
Jedrzejewski admitted her emotions got the best of her during the final shots.
“I think I lost due to my overwhelming emotions, but I’m content with my silver medal,” she remarked. “The atmosphere was electrifying, and it was an intense competition.”
Hungary’s Veronika Major took the bronze medal, also through a shoot-off, denying India’s Manu Bhaker a third medal in Paris.
“Just reaching the final was a significant achievement for me,” Major said. “This is the pinnacle moment of my career thus far.”
