Hancock Preps For Fourth Olympic Gold With World Cup Title

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Vincent Hancock, who grew up in Eatonton competing with the Lake Oconee Shotgun Team, recently earned gold at the Lonato World Cup skeet mixed team event. Mixed skeet will debut as a new event at the Paris Olympics.

Vincent Hancock, three times Olympic skeet men champion, returned to the top of the podium in style today as he and Austen Smith earned skeet mixed team gold for the United States, just as they did at the same venue last year.

Hancock, 35, will seek a fourth individual Olympic title in Paris this summer after winning gold at the Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Tokyo 2020 Games. Hancock registered a hit with every one of his 24 shots save the last as he and his 22-year-old partner secured mixed skeet gold by a margin of 44-41 over a Kuwaiti pairing.

Hancock’s partner, Smith, who earned bronze in yesterday’s skeet women final, made it clear that as reigning world champions they will carry high ambitions into this summer’s Paris 2024 Olympics. Confirming that they would be the pairing at the Games, where the skeet mixed team event will make its Olympic debut, Smith told ISSF TV, “We are hoping for gold in Paris, too, fingers crossed, although we are happy for medals in any appearances.

“It’s a brand-new event for the Olympics, and it’s like we feel we are made for this event as the United States men’s and women’s skeet teams are extremely strong. We feel ready to make history! We love shooting together and it’s such a pleasure to repeat our World Cup win here from last year,” Smith said.

Reflecting on the fact that her partner is a three-time world champion and Olympic medalist, she added, “Every day I learn new things just from watching him. I am very happy I am shooting with this legend. We already won silver in the Asian Games and Asian Championships so we are very glad to be winning these kind of medals in these competitions. Hopefully we are going to win a lot more in the future.”