Meet Texas’ Vincent Hancock, the first American man to win an individual gold at the Paris Olympics en route to a 4th Olympic title in skeet shooting

By Riddhi Acharya

Modified Aug 03, 2024 15:16 GMT

Vincent Hancock has just stormed to gold in the men's skeet shooting event at the Paris Olympics, and he's scripted history in doing so. This title makes him only the fifth athlete in Team USA history to have taken four Olympic gold medals in the same event. His gold has also made him the first American man to claim an individual title at the ongoing Games.

Inspired by his father, Hancock picked up the sport of shooting at the age of 11 and never looked back. In 2005, aged just 16, the American stormed to gold at the Lonato World Championships in the skeet event. He would go on to repeat this performance four other times.

In 2008, a then 19-year-old Vincent Hancock qualified for his debut Games, striking gold on his first try. He came back for an encore in 2012 London, making him the first skeet shooter to defend an Olympic title. After a dismal performance at the Rio Olympics, the American earned redemption in Tokyo, clinching a third gold medal.

Now, he’s done the unthinkable, claiming a second-consecutive Olympic gold in men's skeet shooting for the second time. Competing at the Chateauroux Shooting Center, the 35-year-old was impeccable, scoring a 58 after only two missed shots to walk away with his fourth Olympic gold medal in five appearances.

Vincent Hancock’s protege Connor Prince joins him on the podium for silver at Paris Olympics

Not only did Vincent Hancock excel as a shooter at the Paris Olympics, the American also displayed his prowess as a coach when Connor Prince joined him on the podium to take silver.

Hailing from Burleson, Texas, Prince started training under Hancock in 2018, and has slowly been carving a niche for himself in the world of skeet shooting. In 2019, after a year of training with one of the sport's all-time greats, the shooter clinched gold at the Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany.

In 2023, the Texan excelled on the senior circuit, winning gold in both the men's team and mixed team events at the Rabat World Cup. In 2024, he claimed a silver in the individual event at the Lonato del Garda World Cup.

Now, upon making his Olympic debut in Paris, Prince has certainly done Vincent Hancock proud, taking silver behind the veteran with a score of 57. Joining the Americans on the podium was Lee Meng Yuan of Chinese Taipei.