UK Rifle Well Represented at Olympic Trials and U.S. Jr. Olympics
FORT BENNING, Ga., and COLORADO SPRINGS,
Colo. – This past week was a busy one
for Kentucky Rifle as several current Wildcats and UK alumni competed in elite
events across the country.
Current UK junior Sonya May finished 12th at the U.S. Olympic Trials in the
women’s three-position smallbore 50-meter event that was held in Fort Benning,
Georgia. Wildcat alums Emily Holsopple and Amy Sowash finished eighth and ninth
overall in the event respectively.
On the men’s side of the three-position event, Tom Csenge, another former
Wildcat finished 11th (3,467).
“Of the women selected to compete
in the trails, having three of sixteen come from our program is very exciting,”
head coach Harry Mullins said. “I am very proud of all three of these young
women in the efforts that they have made toward reaching this point over their
careers. All three are very solid shooters and I feel if they stay on track
with what they are doing then they will reach their goals in the future.
“Having four people in a select
group for the Olympic trials is always a very exciting time for Kentucky
Rifle.”
U.S. Junior Olympic Championships Recap
Current Wildcats Billy Azzinaro and Jason Spaude traveled to Colorado Springs,
Colorado, to compete in the U.S. Junior Olympic Championships in air rifle.
This event showcased the top males aged 20-years old and younger. Azzinaro, a
sophomore from East Brunswick, N.J., finished with a solid sixth place
performance and a finals appearance while Spaude finished 16th out of more than
a 180-man field.
This week the duo will compete in the men’s three-position 50-meter prone event
before being joined by teammates Hanna Carr, Carmen Fry, Cathryn Papasodora and
Jenna Bethea who will be competing in the women’s event at the end of the week.
Ma“I was really excited for both of
these young men,” Mullins added. “They have been working hard toward reaching
the top of their age group and this is a good step in the right direction.
