Emmons edging closer to elusive gold
Man who hit wrong target in Athens finds his range with bronze
The wait for a three position gold medal goes on for American rifle shooter Matthew Emmons, but the man famed for losing the Olympic title after hitting the wrong target in Athens is getting closer.
Emmons collected a bronze on Monday in the 50-metre three position rifle to finally have something to show for his efforts in the discipline he has proved highly proficient in over the last three Games.
In second place before the final round at the Royal Artillery Barracks, Emmons produced a worst of the day 7.6 as he slipped from second to third behind winner and friend Niccolo Campriani of Italy.
While many would be disappointed not to have shot closer to the 10.9 maximum to have perhaps secured the silver, Emmons, who overcame a bout of thyroid cancer two years ago, was simply relieved after previous dramas.
At the 2008 Beijing Games he shot a final 4.4 when leading to miss out on a medal. That followed his 2004 Athens
I had the weight of millions of people on my back… My knees were really shaking before I picked that gun up.”
American shooter
Games meltdown where he closed out by hitting a target in the adjoining lane when set to clinch gold.
“I can’t run away from it, that is what everyone talks about so it is tough and really today I was just really, really nervous,” Emmons told reporters.
“Today was one of the hardest matches I have ever shot. I had the weight of millions of people on my back, hoping that I would win and also riding on that last shot. My knees were really shaking before I picked that gun up.”
Emmons had no chance of blowing such an advantage in London as Campriani took an eight point lead in to the final and kept a steady arm to seal gold.