But the current ant-gun stigma in America has kept the modern Annie Oakley out of the spotlight.
Kim Rhode-First Female Olympic Athlete to Medal in 6 Consecutive Games.
- 1996 Atlanta Gold Double Trap
- 2000 Sydney Bronze Double Trap
- 2004 Athens Gold Double Trap
- 2008 Beijing Silver Womens Skeet
- 2012 London Gold Womens Skeet
- 2016 Rio Bronze Womens Skeet
See Kim's full career Olympic and World Cup medals here:
http://www.usashooting.org/12-the-team/usashootingteam/nationalteam/nationalshotgunteam/kimrhode
Kim secured her sixth consecutive Olympic games medal. The first female ever to do so. Matching the great Italian luger great Armin Zoeggler who won six consecutive medals from 1994-2004. Why Haven't you heard about the great athlete named Kim Rhode?
Unfortunately the anti-gun sentiment put forth by today's media and politicians has overshadowed her amazing accomplishments. Sick people going on shooting rampages has caused a nation wide panic over a tool.
At a time when trap shooting has become the fastest growing high school sport, politicians and anti-gun lobbyists have kept professional shooters out of the spotlight. Kim's dedication and athletics should get world wide recognition. She can't even get a large corporate sponsor because she shoots guns. Big money companies are afraid to align themselves with such an athlete.
See Latimes article here:
http://www.latimes.com/sports/more/la-sp-rhode-olympics-20160627-snap-story.html
I was fortunate enough to coach our local high school trap shooting team the last two years. This summer at the Wisconsin State Meet there were 2100 kids shooting. Minnesota blew Wisconsin out of the water with over 8000 kids! Imagine that! 8000 kids all shooting together in one large event and nobody got hurt.
Trap Shooting has become the safest high school sport in the country. Wisconsin is 16 years into their leagues, and not one reported injury yet whatsoever. Not even a hangnail. While football players and hockey kids are getting concussions, broken bones and other maladies, these amateur kids are learning valuable life lessons injury free.
Michael Phelps has had one hell of a career, shattering Olympic records going all the way back to ancient Rome. He deserves everything he receives after he retires following these games. Why shouldn't a woman who has been as dedicated, and best in the world at shooting a gun have the same chances? Would it really be that bad to see an American Woman grace the cover of a Wheaties Box taking aim with her Perazzi Shotgun?
She is a leader and role model for children coming into the sport. My daughter has been following Kim online and wants to be just like her. She's ten and we have started training already at the gun range. Next summer she will be competing in her first trap shooting events, and she can't hold back the excitement.
Kim Rhode has become a vocal spokesperson for the second amendment. That in itself is enough for some to overlook her, or should I say just flat out ignore her. Which in my opinion they have. She understands that our constitutional right to bear arms in protection against all enemies foreign and domestic is considered a god given right in the United States. Whether you agree or disagree with her, shouldn't give anybody the right to take away what she has accomplished.
We used to sing the praises of shootists like Annie Oakley, Wild Bill Hicock, and the fabled Davey Crockett. All professional shooters and hunters. They were the old America, they were proud of our guns and proud to show you what they could do with them. They had traveling shooting shows! Something I would like to see someday. We need to get back to that America, be proud of our heritage, be proud of our guns, and dammit be proud of our athletes when they set Olympic records!
Here is a really good interview by Randy Wakeman with Kim Rhode.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/visit_Kim_Rhode.htm