The Event is One of Three Trials to Qualify for the Olympics
Less than a year away from the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, three members of the Ole Miss Rifle Team look to earn their spot on Team USA at part one of the Olympic Trials this weekend. Fifth-year senior Kristen Derting, junior Katelyn Foust, and sophomore Emma Pereira will shoot both smallbore and air rifle at the Fort Moore, Georgia, qualifier.
Shooting first appeared as one of the nine sports featured at the Olympic Games Athens 1896. Other than St. Louis 1904 and Amsterdam 1928, shooting has been a mainstay. Paris 2024 will include 15 rifle, pistol, and shotgun events for men and women. A total of 340 shooters, 170 men and 170 women, will compete in the Olympic Games.
The selection process for Paris is broken up into three trials, with the first taking place this weekend. Athletes will compete in both smallbore and air rifle events, consisting of two matches, with the top eight shooters advancing to the final. Air rifle will go from September 29–30, with the final beginning in the afternoon of September 30. Smallbore is set for October 1–2, with the final following the second match on October 2.
Derting is part of the US National Team and has shot World Cups and Championships representing the country. During the spring of 2023, the All-American competed in four World Cups in three different locations, placing in the top 15 finish in Bhopal, India. Derting is also coming off a successful collegiate season, helping the Rebels to a third straight top-5 finish at the NCAA Championships.
Foust had a career season in all rifle disciplines. In her sophomore season, Foust appeared in 11 matches, averaging a career-high 1154.2 aggregate score. She also averaged career highs in smallbore and air rifle average.
Pereira was one of the best freshman shooters in the nation in 2022–23. She started as a smallbore counter in every match and seven for air rifle. Pereira fired a 590 in smallbore in her third collegiate match. She excelled in air rifle during the spring season, shooting 594 three times, including the GARC Championships. The sophomore ended her freshman campaign, taking seventh place in the NCAA smallbore finals.
2020 Tokyo Olympian Ali Weisz will also compete in the qualifier event.
The Winter Air Gun Championships on December 8-10 will be the second trial of the Olympic Rifle Qualifiers.
For more information on Ole Miss rifle, follow the Rebels on Facebook (OleMissRifle), Twitter (@OleMissRifle), Instagram (@OleMissRifle) and at OleMissSports.com.
