By USA Shooting

COLO SPRGS, CO (Oct 22, 2025) –

U.S. Dominates in Skeet and Trap Claiming 6 Medals

Team USA capped a stellar showing at the 2025 ISSF World Championship Shotgun in Athens, Greece, bringing home six medals, including four gold, one silver, and one bronze, at the Malakasa Shooting Range from October 8–19.

The American squad delivered excellence across both skeet and trap disciplines, led by Vincent Hancock and Samantha Simonton, who were crowned individual Skeet World Champions, while the Men’s and Women’s Skeet Teams swept their events for additional golds.

Veteran Glenn Eller and emerging star Ava Downs earned bronze in the Trap Mixed Team event while the Men’s Trap Team snagged a silver medal to round out an impressive championship for the red, white, and blue.

Simonton Strikes Gold in Women’s Skeet

It has been a season to remember for Samantha Simonton, and Athens added a golden chapter. The 25-year-old American claimed her first-ever ISSF World Championship title in Women’s Skeet with a superb score of 57, holding off Mexico’s Gabriela Rodriguez (54) and Sweden’s Victoria Larsson (44).

Simonton’s victory capped an outstanding year that already included one World Cup gold and two silvers. During finals she shot with composure and precision under pressure, confirming her place among the sport’s elite.

Simonton also teamed up with Dania Vizzi and Kim Rhode to win gold in the Women’s Skeet Team event, giving Team USA a clean sweep in both men’s and women’s skeet competitions.

Hancock Adds Fifth World Title to Storied Career

Four-time Olympic champion Vincent Hancock continued to redefine greatness, capturing his fifth World Championship gold in Men’s Skeet. The American missed just one target in a near-perfect final to finish with a score of 59, ahead of Czechia’s Daniel Korcak (55) and Denmark’s Emil Kjelgaard Petersen (45).

Hancock then joined Conner Prince and Christian Elliott to earn gold in the Men’s Skeet Team event, completing an American sweep of all four skeet golds.

Trap Teams Deliver Silver and Bronze

Team USA’s trap shooters also left Athens with hardware. Will Hinton, Derrick Mein, and Glenn Eller secured silver in the Men’s Trap Team event after a tight battle against Croatia.

Eller then partnered with Ava Downs in the Trap Mixed Team event to capture bronze, defeating Egypt’s Ahmed Zahar and Maggy Ashmawy 39–37 in a thrilling match. The result marked Eller’s first World Championship medal in trap rather than double trap, and a breakthrough for Downs, who earned her first world medal at just 20 years old.

While the international trap titles went abroad, Team USA’s consistency and podium presence across the events reinforced the program’s global competitiveness as they round out the 2025 season.

A Championship to Remember

With six total medals — four gold, one silver, and one bronze — the United States reaffirmed its dominance in shotgun events and celebrated both seasoned champions and promising new talent.

Medal Summary – 2025 ISSF World Championship Shotgun (Athens, Greece)

• 🥇 Vincent Hancock – Men’s Skeet
• 🥇 Hancock, Conner Prince, Christian Elliott – Men’s Skeet Team
• 🥇 Samantha Simonton – Women’s Skeet
• 🥇 Simonton, Dania Vizzi, Kim Rhode – Women’s Skeet Team
• 🥈 Will Hinton, Derrick Mein, Glenn Eller – Men’s Trap Team
• 🥉 Glenn Eller, Ava Downs – Mixed Team Trap

About USA Shooting

USA Shooting, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation was chartered by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the Olympic & Paralympic Shooting Sports in April 1995. The organization develops and implements programs to promote growth in the sport and serves as a sanctioning body for local and national competitions. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center, USA Shooting has a full-time staff dedicated to our sport.