Pan American Games 2023: Vincent Hancock wins third skeet shooting title 12 years after his second
The three-time Olympic champion held off Argentina's Federico Gil after home shooter Francisca Crovetto took a long-awaited women's gold.
USA's Vincent Hancock claimed his third Pan American Games skeet shooting title in Santiago on Sunday (22 October).
The three-time Olympic gold medallist, who shared flagbearing duties with gymnast Jordan Chiles at Friday's Opening Ceremony, had been in superb form in qualification.
And the final at the Pudahuel Shooting Range soon developed into a duel between Hancock and Argentina's Federico Gil.
Both men missed just once in their first 26 shots, but five-time individual world champion Hancock moved clear as he hit four from four in the ninth series with Gil managing only two.
In the 10th series, Hancock missed one as Gil reduced the gap to just one.
The American star missed again in the 12th, and the 35-year-old from Buenos Aires hit all four clays to tie for the lead.
But in the 16th series, two before the end, Gil erred to leave Hancock one in front.
And the 34-year-old was perfect from there on in, finishing with 57 out of 60 to regain the title he had previously won in 2007 and 2011.
Gil, who competed at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, earned a Paris 2024 Olympic Games quota spot for Argentina by taking silver.
Peru's two-time Olympian Nicolas Pacheco took the bronze, just as he did four years ago in his home city of Lima. And with reigning Olympic champion Hancock obtaining a quota berth at last year's World Championships, he took the second available Paris quota place.
Gold at last for Chile's flagbearer Francisca Crovetto
Earlier, Francisca Crovetto - who carried Chile's flag in the Opening Ceremony - claimed a first gold of these Games for the host nation in a dramatic women's final.
After 60 shots, she and Mexico's Gabriela Rodriguez were tied on 50 meaning it went to a shoot-off.
Crovetto scored four out of four and Rodriguez only managed three as the Santiago native finally took gold after medals at the three previous Pan American Games.
Olympian Rodriguez gained some consolation by earning an Olympic quota spot for Mexico.
Peru's Daniella Borda took bronze ahead of world silver medallist Dania Jo Vizzi and secured the second Paris quota berth on offer as Crovetto had already earned one by reaching the final at August's World Championships.
Pan American Games 2023 Skeet Shooting results:
Men's final
- Vincent Hancock (USA) - 57
- Federico Gil (ARG) - 56 - earns Paris 2024 quota spot for Argentina
- Nicolas Pacheco (ECU) - 44 (from 50 shots) - earns Paris 2024 quota spot for Ecuado
- Hector Flores (CHI) - 32 (40)
- Luis Bermudez III (PUR) - 23 (30)
- Luis Gallardo (MEX) - 15 (20)
Women's final
- Francisca Crovetto (CHI) - 50 (four in shoot-off)
- Gabriela Rodriguez (MEX) - 50 (three in shoot-off) - earns Paris 2024 quota spot for Mexico
- Daniella Borda (PER) - 40 (from 50 shots) - earns Paris 2024 quota spot for Peru
- Dania Jo Vizzi (USA) - 29 (40)
- Georgia Furquim (BRA) - 21 (30)
- Emily Padilla (EAI) - 14 (20)