Sad.
RIO DE JANEIRO — American shooter Ginny Thrasher won the first gold medal of the Rio Olympics, then spoke of her sadness at how America’s gun control controversy has affected her sport.
Thrasher, 19, set an Olympic record of 208.0 in the 10-meter air rifle event, clinching victory in a significant upset. China’s Du Li and Yu Siling won silver and bronze respectively.
“Some of the (controversy surrounding) gun laws in America is just distracting from our sport, which is very different,” Thrasher said.
The sport of shooting has become caught up in discussions over gun rights and the associated political debate. Thrasher’s teammate, six-time Olympian Kim Rhode, spoke earlier this week about how new gun measures in her state of California had affected her training because she must complete extensive background checks to buy ammunition for practice. Rhode is an outspoken member of the National Rifle Association and previously spoke on the matter at the 2012 Republican National Convention.
Exactly what type of ammunition does an “air rifle” use? Sounds like someone is using an international forum to push a personal political agenda.
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The article didn’t bother to mention that Kim Rhode is a skeet shooter, and therefore needs shotshells to compete in her sport. Purchase of those in CA may require some background check. In WI you only need to be 18. But I have seen 12 year-olds get shells at my gun club…
Upon further review of several websites, it appears that CA does not require background checks to purchase shotgun ammunition. Either Ms Rhode was misquoted, or she herself doesn’t know. Or, as NHolland pointed out, someone is using an international forum to push a personal political agenda.
It was in very poor taste for some reporter and Kim Rhode to cast a shadow of controversy over the amazing achievement of a fifteen year old. Kim Rhode may be an Olympic champion but she is a lier. Again a person bearing false witness to push a personal and political agenda. Ms. Rhode neglects to mention her paid position with the NRA.
Ms. Trashier, the fifteen year old gold medal winner, tries to point out to the reporter her sport is “very different”. She tries to change the line of questioning by pointing out how it is “distracting” from her sport. The statements made by Rhode earlier in the week apply to powder events and those powder gun laws which she knowingly misrepsents in her interview. Ms. Rhode callously brought this discussion to the world stage with complete disregard for her fellow teammates. Not the place or the time.