Kim Rhode takes gold in skeet, puts her name in record books
Kim Rhode shot a nearly perfect final round Sunday to win the gold in skeet, but the American didn’t just take the gold medal, she set three records in the process.
According to a report from USA Today, Rhode was deservingly in very high spirits, smiling and pumping her right fist at the crowd at the Royal Artillery Barracks, where there was apparently no shortage of American support.
With a final score of 99, Rhode equaled the world record held by Danka Bartekova of Slovakia, who took the bronze Sunday while Wei Ning of China earned the silver medal. Her round also set a new Olympic record, as Bartekova hadn’t scored that high during the Games.
The records continued, as Rhode became the first U.S. athlete in an individual sport to win five medals in five consecutive Olympics. Previously, Rhode won gold medals in double trap in 1996 and 2004, a silver in skeet in 2008, and a bronze in double trap in 1996.
She broke another record during her preliminary round, shooting 74 of 75 targets. This broke the previous Olympic record set by Chiara Canero of Italy with 72 or 75 targets in 2008.
Rhode is also competing in the women’s trap event, which will begin Saturday.
