US service members win big at the 2024 Paris Olympics: Weapon of the week

Ryan Robertson

TIME NOW FOR OUR WEAPON OF THE WEEK, OR SHOULD I SAY OUR WEAPONS OF THE WEEK, AS IN PLURAL. THAT’S BECAUSE WE WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE A FEW MEMBERS OF OUR COUNTRY’S MILITARY THAT RECENTLY REPRESENTED THE STARS AND STRIPES IN A DIFFERENT WAY. AS OLYMPIANS IN PARIS FOR THE 2024 GAMES. 

THE U.S ARMY SENT THE LARGEST CONTINGENT OF ATHLETES TO THE GAMES WITH SEVEN ACTIVE DUTY SOLDIERS, ONE ARMY RESERVE SOLDIER AND TWO VETERANS. 

LEADING THE FIELD WAS ARMY VETERAN VINCENT HANCOCK WHO BROUGHT HOME HIS FOURTH OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL WINNING MEN’S SKEET SHOOTING AND JOINING THE RANKS OF MICHAEL PHELPS, CARL LEWIS AND KATIE LEDECKY AS ONE OF ONLY SEVEN OLYMPIANS EVER TO WIN THE SAME EVENT IN FOUR SEPERATE GAMES. HE ALSO BAGGED A SILVER IN THE ‘SKEET MIXED TEAM’ EVENT.  

JOINING HANCOCK IN THE MEDAL HAUL WAS NEWLY PROMOTED ARMY STAFF SERGEANT SAGEN MADDALENA. THE ARMY SHOOTING INSTRUCTOR STATIONED AT FORT MOORE, GEORGIA BROUGHT HOME SILVER IN THE ‘50 METER RIFLE 3 POSITIONS’ WOMEN’S FINAL.

ARMY RESERVIST FIRST LIEUTENANT SAM KENDRICKS  POLE VAULTED HIS WAY TO THE MEDAL STAND, ADDING A SILVER TO THE BRONZE HE WON IN RIO IN 2016. 

FINALLY, ARMY CAPTAIN SAMMY SULLIVAN. THE WEST POINT GRADUATE WAS A KEY CONTRIBUTOR FOR THE U.S. WOMEN’S RUGBY SEVENS THAT SHOCKED AUSTRALIA, 14-12, IN THE WANING MOMENTS TO WIN THE BRONZE MEDAL. AMERICA’S FIRST RUGBY MEDAL IN 100 YEARS.

WE HERE AT WEAPONS AND WARFARE WANT TO EXTEND A SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS TO NOT ONLY THE MEDALISTS, BUT TO ALL OF THE OLYMPIANS THAT REPRESENTED THEIR  BRANCH OF SERVICE AND THEIR COUNTRY IN PARIS.