U.S. Army First Lt. Amber English Sets Olympic Record, Wins Gold Medal in Skeet Shooting
Nineteen service members represented the United States at this year’s Olympics in Tokyo, with one bringing home the gold.
An Army logistics officer, First Lt. Amber English, won the Gold Medal in women’s skeet shooting, NBC San Diego reports:
“First Lt. Amber English became the first U.S. service member to clinch a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, hitting 56 of 60 shots to win first place in women’s shotgun skeet on Monday. First Lt. Amber English erased the disappointment of barely missing the two previous Olympics by winning a gold medal in the women’s skeet shooting. The 38-year-old logistics officer stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia, finished third at the 2018 world championship and climbed to the top of the ISSF world rankings with seven top-10 finishes the past three years.”
English set a new Olympic record and became only the second woman to win a skeet gold medal for the U.S., the U.S. Army’s website reports:
“The Colorado Springs, Colorado native shot 56 out of 60 targets, which set a new Olympic Finals Record. And by medaling, this Soldier became the second woman in American history to win Olympic gold in skeet.
“English, an Army Reservist, is a member of two elite teams, the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program and the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit.”
“It was just such a surreal moment, I don’t think it’s totally set in yet,” English said, describing the medal awards ceremony, when she appeared on NBC’s The Today Show following her victory. “But, yeah, just overwhelming and we could feel the support from everybody.”
More U.S. service members competed in shooting events than in events in any other category at this year’s Olympics, with three service members competing in Paralympic events, according to the Defense Department website:
- Shooting: 7
- Wrestling: 3
- Modern Pentathlon: 2
- Paralympics Shooting: 2
- Paralympics Swimming: 1
- Boxing: 1
- Track and Field: 1
- Pole Vault: 1
- Sailing: 1