Paris 2024 shooting: All results, as Adriana Ruano Oliva wins Guatemala's first gold medal with Olympic record in women's trap
Adriana Ruano Oliva’s performance in the women’s trap final at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will go down in history as she became Guatemala’s first ever Olympic gold medallist, setting an Olympic record in the process with a final score of 45.
The win comes in the wake of her male counterpart, Jean Pierre Brol Cardenas, who took bronze in the men’s trap final on Tuesday 30 July, taking their county’s second ever Olympic medal. Oliva is the first woman from the nation to medal.
“I can’t even believe it’s for real. I’m so happy. I’m honoured to be here, and it wasn’t easy to get here again. I want to thank Guatemala, and also my father,” she said after taking the gold.
Oliva's story is quite a unique one, as she started with dreams of becoming an Olympic gymnast, but when a spinal injury put an end to what could have been in that sport, she refused to let go of her Olympic dream.
“I said to myself, 'If I can't be there as an athlete, maybe I can be there as a volunteer,’ ” she said, explaining her time at Rio 2016.
“So I applied. They put me on shooting, and I was able to watch my teammates. I could see the competition, and that was the moment that inspired me to think, 'OK, maybe if not in gymnastics, I can do it in shooting.' "
Two editions later, she will stand on top of the podium with the gold medal around her neck, as a sea of Guatemalan fans celebrate her in the audience.
Italy’s Silvana Maria Stanco earned the silver medal with a score of 40 as Penny Smith of Australia sealed bronze, beating her result from Tokyo 2020 where she finished sixth in the mixed team and individual competition.
“I was definitely disappointed in Tokyo, and I just wanted to make it bigger and better this time. I trained my guts out and did everything I possibly could, and I’m so pleased to come out with a medal,” Smith said.
Spain's world number one Fatima Galvez did not make it on the podium and took fifth place, while her teammate Mar Molne Magrina finished fourth, leaving their country without a medal in the women’s trap.
People’s Republic of China’s Wu Cuicui was the first to be eliminated from the final, finishing in sixth place.
Shooting: Women's trap final podium
Gold: Adriana Ruano Oliva, Guatemala
Silver: Silvana Maria Stanco, Italy
Bronze: Penny Smith, Australia