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[USA Shooting]

Parker Climbs to Top Podium Spot in Milan








Jason Parker climbed to the top of the World Cup podium in Milan during the Men's Three-Position Rifle Even

USA Shooting's Jason Parker (USAMU/Columbus, Ga.), 37, the 2011 Continental American Champion, won today's 50m Three Position Rifle event at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Rifle & Pistol World Cup in Milan, Italy.



The American champion beat the home shooter, Niccolò Campriani, by almost three points, gaining his fifth ISSF World Cup Gold medal with an overall score of 1273.1 points after qualifying with 1173 points and scoring 100.1 points in the final match.



Sergeant First Class Parker had won an ISSF World Cup Gold medal here in Milan, back in 2001, as well as a Junior World Championship Bronze medal in 1994.



"I won my first international medal ever here in Milan, so it's great to be back on this podium" Parker said right after the last competition shot.



"We have our national Olympic trials kicking off in a few days: the 2012 Olympic team will be decided there. It's good to walk into the trials knowing that everything works fine, and that I can score well under pressure." The American winner added.



The wind was part of the game in Milan today. Starting with yesterday's eliminations - conducted in one of the windiest days that the shooting range officers remember in years - and continuing with the qualifications and the finals, coping with the wind has been a real challenge.



Experience helped Parker: "I am quite confident with the wind. I adjusted my sights with a couple of clicks and knew how to react. I had no problems."



"This was a vintage performance from Jason today," said USA Shooting National Rifle Head Coach Major Dave Johnson. "There wasn't anything truly big or flashy about the way he shot, but he made no mistakes all day and was just very consistent. He did a very good job."



Two-time Olympic medalist Matt Emmons (Browns Mills, N.J.), a silver medalist in the event during the year's first World Cup in London, finished 24th with 1157 points, 11 points away from a spot in the finals.



Twenty-one USA Shooting athletes, including 10 Olympians, are in Italy for their final International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup event before the London 2012 Olympic Games. Through three days of competition, the USA Shooting Team has earned three top-10 finishes following a sixth-place finish for Sarah Scherer (Woburn, Mass.) and a 10th-place finish by Jamie Gray (Lebanon, Pa.) in Women's 10m Air Rifle. For a roster of athletes participating, including the 21-person squad for USA Shooting, click here: http://bit.ly/JPwMcO.



The ISSF World Cup in Rifle and Pistol events continues tomorrow with Women's 50m Three-Position Rifle, Women's 25m Pistol and Men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol.



2012 ISSF World Cup Milan Schedule:



Friday, May 18 Women's 50m 3P Rifle, Women's 25m Pistol, Men's 25m Pistol

Saturday, May 19 Men's 25m Pistol, Men's 50m Pistol, Men's 50m Prone Rifle

Sunday, May 20 Men's 50m Free Pistol, Men's 50m Prone Rifle



** Events in Bold Italics represent Finals



There are a number of ways you can follow the action from London. Tune-in through www.usashooting.org,Facebook, Twitter on www.issf-sports.org and www.youtube.com/issfchannel.



Release compiled with assistance from the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF).






ELEY is a Proud Sponsor of the USA Shooting Rifle and Pistol Teams: ELEY Limited, manufacturer of the world's most consistently accurate rimfire ammunition, has been the Official Sponsor and Official Supplier of .22 rimfire ammunition of the USA Shooting rifle and pistol teams since 2000. For more information on ELEY and their products, please visit www.eley.co.uk.




About USA Shooting:

USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting's mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.