MORGANTOWN —
Former West Virginia University student-athlete Nicco Campriani shot an Olympic record and won Gold in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions, today, inside the Royal Artillery Barracks, at the 2012 London Summer Olympics.
Campriani was representing his native Italy.
Campriani, a native of Florence, is the first Mountaineer athlete to earn the Gold medal since James Jett (USA) won Gold as an alternate on the men’s 4 x 100m relay team at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics.
All told, four former WVU student-athletes have earned Olympic Gold, including Jerry West (USA, men’s basketball, 1960 Rome Summer Olympics) and Jack Writer (USA, 50m rifle 3 positions 1972 Munich Summer Olympics). Additionally, Dr. Ed Etzel, a psychologist for the WVU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, won Gold for the U.S. Team in the men’s 50m rifle prone at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. Dr. Etzel served as the head rifle coach for 11 seasons.
Campriani, ranked No. 1 in the world in the event, won today with an Olympics final record of 1278.5. He shot an Olympic-record 1180 (396 prone, 390 standing, 394 kneeling) in the qualification round and 98.5 in the final. Campriani entered the final in the No. 1 position, eight points ahead of Matthew Emmons (USA).
Today’s finish is a vast improvement on Campriani’s last Olympic 3 positions competition, as he placed 39th at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.
Kim Jonghyun of the Republic of Korea won Silver with a final score of 1272.5 (1171, 101.5), while Emmons secured Bronze with a total of 1271.3 (1172, 99.3). Emmons is coached by Dave Johnson, a former Mountaineer shooter.
Seven-year WVU coach Jon Hammond (Great Britain) also shot today and finished with a total score of 1142 (395 prone, 361 standing, 386 kneeling).
Today’s event was the final rifle competition of the Games. Campriani, the 2011 NCAA air rifle champion, leaves London with two medals, having secured Silver in the men’s 10m air rifle on July 30; he also finished eighth in the men’s 50m rifle prone on Aug. 3. Campriani is the first former Mountaineer shooter to win two Olympic medals in one Games and the second to earn two career medals, as Writer also won Silver at the 1968 Mexico City Summer Olympics.
Sports
BREAKING NEWS: Former WVU rifle team member wins Gold Medal
Nicco Campriani, representing Italy, wins gold in final Olympic rifle event
- Sports
-
-
Underclassmen Richardson, Ferrell and Latocha captains of All-Mon Valley team
Every year, the Times West Virginian evaluates stats and performances of softball players in the area in order to select its All-Mon Valley team.
-
Kingora rallies to claim Green Hills title
It was another year and another disappointingly close finish for Dewey Delovich and Jeremy Enslen in the annual Green Hills-Homer Delovich Memorial Golf Championship, which wrapped up Sunday at Green Hills Country Club.
-
Cole, Alvarez lead Pirates past Dodgers, 6-3
Gerrit Cole is off to a perfect start in the major leagues. The rookie, however, feels he has been far from perfect.
-
HERTZEL COLUMN- Remembering my dad on a sports Sunday
It was Sunday.
Not just any Sunday. A special Sunday.
Father’s Day. -
FURFARI COLUMN- Huggins says transfers not isolated case
Coach Bob Huggins will tell you that losing four players to transfer mode from his West Virginia University men’s basketball squad was not an unusual or isolated case.
-
Cumberland leads Delovich in tightly bunched Green Hills event: PHOTOS
Longtime Green Hills Country Club member Dave Cumberland fired a two-under par opening-round 68 to claim the lead after the first day of the annual Green Hills-Homer Delovich Memorial Golf Championship here yesterday.
-
Post 17 powers past Charleston
Fairmont Post 17 rolled past Charleston Power on Saturday night, 10-5.
In the blowout, Post 17 was led by former Polar Bear gunner — Brandon Plivelich. -
HERTZEL COLUMN: Independent study of WVU finances needed
It is time someone gets to the bottom of what is going on financially within West Virginia University and its athletic department.
-
Westchester Village holding a meet, greet
Meeting and greeting.
Westchester Village and Fairmont State University are pairing for a meet-and-greet dinner with the Fighting Falcon football coaches at Westchester Village on June 28 at 7 p.m. -
Hannah, Weese, Smith showcased skills in 2013
Being a young baseball player, you’re not only trying to win state championships, but you’re also trying to create a legacy that will result in a college scholarship.
These athletes play for the love of the game and their names on the front of their jerseys — Fairmont Senior, North Marion and East Fairmont. - More Sports Headlines
-
Underclassmen Richardson, Ferrell and Latocha captains of All-Mon Valley team
