COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (April 15, 2019)
“Best day ever!”
That’s what local athlete Macey Way proclaimed today after winning gold in Women’s Air Rifle at the National Junior Olympic Shooting Championships (NJOSC) at the Olympic Shooting Center in Colorado Springs.
Way, 17, won her first overall medal at NJOSC on her home range before the Final even began, posting two impressive Qualification scores of 623.9 and 623.7. With the two-day total of 1247.6, Way had already put the gold medal out of reach for anyone else, regardless of her finish in the Final. (Additional points - four for first, 3.5 for second, three for third and so on - were awarded based on finish in the Final. ) As this was a selection match for the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup in Germany this summer, all athletes shot two Qualification matches and were selected for the Final based on cumulative points. Medals, National Junior Team appointments and slots on the team going to Germany were awarded on the total points from Qualification and Finals finish.
“I was so nervous, even going into Finals because it’s the most fun part of all the matches!” said Way. “I just really wanted to do well, but in the months before this I just trained, and I trained, and I tried to get coaching from everyone I could that was bigger than me or that I knew, and I just knew I was prepared, and I came in mentally prepared, physically prepared - knowing I was ready. This was the first time I’ve won something so big and I’m just so excited because I’ve got my team jacket! It’s been a goal since I was 13 just to get this medal so achieving it just