Rio Olympics 2016 Ginny Thrasher Wins Usa S First Gold In Air Rifle

Three cheers for this most American of accomplishments!

MORE: Olympics medal count | 2016 Rio Olympics TV schedule

Thrasher set an Olympic recording, beating China’s Du Li 208.0-207.0.

At West Virginia (is that irony?), Thrasher became the first freshman rifle shooter to win individual titles in air and smallbore while leading WVU to their fourth-straight NCAA title. “Smallbore” refers to rifles that are small-caliber, but not fired by air, which is certainly a thing we all knew and did not just look up.

Thrasher grew up in Northern Virginia and hadn’t fired a gun until five years ago. Three years ago, according to the Washington Post, she was the 45th-ranked junior shooter in the country and wasn’t a popular medal pick before the competition. Now she’s the best in the world. Not bad.

Also, her nickname is “Ginny.” Whether “Ginny Thrasher” is somehow more American-sounding than “Virginia Thrasher” is your call.