Last shot sinks former University of Alaska Fairbanks shooter at Olympics
Published Sunday, August 17, 2008
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BEIJING -- Matt Emmons aimed at the target — his own, this time.
Four years ago, he lost a gold medal by shooting at someone else's, and he wasn't about to make that mistake again.
No, this story was going to have the happiest of endings. Emmons needed less than 7 points. Hit the target anywhere near the middle, and the gold medal that got away in Athens would be his.
He raised his gun. He prepared to fire. And —
BLAM.
Somehow, Emmons' gun went off before he had focused it on the center of the target. The result: an abysmal score of 4.4.
For the second straight Olympics, Emmons had forfeited a gold medal with a catastrophic mistake on the final shot of the three-position rifle. His misfire Sunday gave the gold to China's Qiu Jian. Emmons fell to fourth, and was left to explain the cosmic misfortune that has followed him through two Olympics.
He did not scream, or sulk. He reacted with the good humor of a man who knows from experience that stuff happens.
"It accidentally went off, that's pretty much it," Emmons said. "I shot a great match. It's just a crazy thing that happens."
Goateed and affable, Emmons is a New Jersey native and four-time national rifle champion at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. A favorite to win at Athens, he took home a gold medal in the 50-meter prone rifle competition. The three-position rifle that year came down to the last shot; leading by three points, all he needed was to come close to the bull's-eye to win.
But shooting in lane two, he fired at the target in lane three.
At the time, he recalled "just worrying about calming myself down, and just breaking a good shot, and so I didn't even look at the number" of the lane. He "probably should have," he admitted.
For four years, Emmons kept his mistake in perspective. These things happen, he would say. At one point, he even suggested that his error had brought good publicity to the sport.
Besides, immediately after that blunder, Emmons met an attractive shooter from the Czech Republic who came over to offer encouragement. Matt and Katerina Emmons married last year.
Matt and Katy were the talk of the shooting venue in Beijing. When one was competing, the other was always close by. Katerina won two medals, a gold and a silver. Matt added the silver in prone rifle.
They would pose for pictures in celebration and attend each other's news conferences. Together, they were living an Olympic dream.
And then, Sunday.
For nine shots, Emmons set up patiently — his score was often one of the last to show up on the scoreboard.
"The way I come into a target is I start above the target and come down from 12 o'clock and get into the bull's-eye," he said. "And as I get down into the bull's-eye is when I start to get on the trigger."
On Sunday's last shot, "As I was starting to get on the trigger, the gun just went off," he said.
"I was like, 'Uh, that's not going to be good.'"
The most points a shooter can earn for a shot is 10.9; anything below 8.0 is considered unusually bad. A 4.4? That doesn't happen unless something goes terribly wrong.
Katerina was there for him, as she was four years ago. She held her face close to his and offered a few words of comfort. The crowd — ecstatic over another Chinese gold medal — applauded the couple politely.
"It's just not meant to be," said Katerina Emmons, laughing. "He's definitely the best standing shooter out there. If he can still end up fourth with a 4.4 on the last shot, that's a hell of a shooter."
Jury Sukhorukov of Ukraine won the silver and Rajmond Debevec of Slovenia took the bronze. Four years ago, China's Jia Zhanbo won the gold after Emmons shot at the wrong target. This time, Qiu was the beneficiary.
"I didn't know what had happened," Qiu said. "Hearing the spectators' cheering, I felt maybe I got the silver. But my coach told me I got the gold."
It turned out Emmons had needed only a 6.7 on the last shot to win. A 9.3 would have set the Olympic record. His worst shot in the final round to that point was a 9.7.
"He smoked everybody else," Katerina Emmons said.
He did, until the last shot.
"Things happen for a reason," Emmons said.
"I said that last time, and it's the truth. Maybe last time, the reason was Katy. This time I don't know yet, but I'm sure something good's going to come from it."
Community Discussion
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Therein lies the difference between an Olympian and a pot shot shooter.
Do I hear someone choking?
What happened to the golden rule #3? " Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target and you are ready to fire" I think he's picturing himself with the gold medal before he shoots.Too bad,No different than moose hunting.
It was a great effort. Far better than I could do.
he's there, you're not. there's always the next Olympics. Or not. sounds like he's got a good head on his shoulders. and regardless, he's already won where it really matters.
Burke, The_truth and UNC. Easy to put someone down but hard to fill their shoes. Do you have the skill to be an Olympian? Be one and then you have a right to run your mouthes.
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Actually, I just realized the irony inherent in my last comment. Pops, please keep talking.
/Hands Pops a shovel to let him dig his own hole
Y'all don't know what that man does to get there sense he left UAF. That man practices so hard to get there. Stuff happens when you shoot.. O well. I know Matt personally and he would just shrug it off.... It's a mistake and you can't take it back. Bruke he is one of the BEST shooters in the world .. i bet you can't even shoot his standing, prone, and kneeling scores at all EVEN in half position.. SO GET REAL.... If that man comes back to Alaska ... You should shake his hand and tell him thank you. CONGRATS MATT ON GETTIN MARRIED, GETTIN SILVER.. AND GOIN TO CHINA TO SHOOT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!
Its beyond my comprehension the pressure of Olympic competition. I get jittery shooting at moose. You just have to love this guys attitude and his wife’s support. He is a champion even if he didn’t bring home a medal.
Very good job Matt, unbelievable bad luck. You and your wife did us proud. Amazing abilities you both have.
Pat
I won't insult him by saying it was bad luck. Clearly, it was bad technique. At least he shot at the right target. But the whole story makes me wonder why he was competing there in the first place. Still, I know it hurts, and I trust he will be able to put this in the past.
este, you may be right. His technique may be flawed. But he is one of the most talented rifleman in the United States and clearly could have won once more. I wish him and his wife the best.
Pat
I really hope we can chalk this one up to choking under pressure. Why? Because if someone went out shooting (or hunting) with me and he misfired his rifle twice, lets just say I wouldn't go shooting with him again. Safety is the number one priority around firearms, competition or otherwise. Its fortunate that no one was injured.
Thanks,
matt kicks as_. his time will come another day. thanks for representing for alaska and u.s.
all the haters, just quit hating on people!
No hating here! He was a very accomplished "collegiate" shooter, but let's be real, he choked big time on the world stage, twice! Yet, he accepts his misfortune with grace and dignity without once making excuses, and that is what's impressive! The journey is what brings us happiness, not the destination. I'm sure he's happy. Hope you're more fortunate in London!
It's obvious that none of you have ever shot competitively.
any of you who say he choking, lets be serious, there are KIDS in this town who would so school all of you in the type of shooting they do. if you dont believe me, find out where they are shooting and go and try one day you would be suprised im sure
I have Ken both rifle and bow so you obviously do not know what you are talking about.
Pat
Wow, such hostility. Jesus, relax.
Did I whack an insecurity there?
Admittedly, I should have said "Those of you jumping down his throat and telling him he choked have never shot competitively."
I think he did a good job. I watched it online yesterday and he did not shot early they showed 2 guys shooting and the first guy shot and got a 9 and then he waited another 10 seconds before he shot. He is a great shooter and he still won silver 4 years ago even though he shot the wrong target thats how good he is. He can shoot the wrong target and get 2nd. He was on world record pace and he probally forgot to take a breath and calm down. I have shot alot and it is hard to shoot standing up. I have shot over 15 moose in 16 years and the 1 year i did not get one is because i was in school. So good job maybe in another 4 years. But the gun did not just go off he was waiting for awile before he shot. go to www.nbcolympics.com and watch him
I got you Ken, yeah I am pretty hostile these days. I will chalk it up to stress.
Pat
Of course he did a great job! He won a silver medal in the process, and a gold medal plus a girlfriend in the last Olympics :)
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