Who Is Ginny Thrasher? And Why Is Her GOLDEN GUN Getting Her All This Attention?

Team USA captured the first gold medal handed out in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Virginia “Ginny” Thrasher won the gold in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle competition – the first medal of the 2016 Summer Games

Thrasher, 19, gave the U.S. an early lead in the medal count by winning the first gold medal of the games when she took the top spot in the 10-meter air rifle competition.

BIO
High School

• Tied for ninth place (414.0) in the second elimination relay of the women’s 10m air rifle at the 2015 ISSF Gabala Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun World Cup
• Earned five medals, two in open categories and three in junior competitions, at the 2015 USA Shooting National Championships for Rifle/Pistol, securing U.S. National Team status
• Haul at the 2015 USA Shooting National Championships included a Gold medal in the junior’s 50m 3 positions rifle (1171), a second-place finish (836.8) in the open women’s 10m air rifle and a third-place finish (1238.7) in the open women’s 50m rifle prone; prone score secured her the junior championship title
• Shot in two MQS matches at the 2015 ISSF Munich Rifle and Pistol World Cup and tallied scores of 412.0 in the women’s 10m air rifle and 575 in the women’s rifle 3 positions
• Finished sixth in the women’s 50m smallbore at the 2015 Spring World Cup Selection
• Placed third at the 2014 Junior Olympics Championships in the women’s 50m smallbore
• Owns more than 20 National Rifle Association and USA Shooting records
• 2015 Virginia air rifle state champion
• Three-time Virginia smallbore state medalist
• Three-year team captain and four-time MVP at West Springfield High
• Also shot for the Acorns Optimist Rifle Club
• Member of the National Honor Society

Personal

• Daughter of Roger and Valerie Thrasher
• Has two brothers
• Birthday is February 28
• Majoring in engineering

via wvusports