Vincent Hancock: Most Decorated Men’s Skeet Olympian In History

by
posted on November 5, 2024
Vincent Hancock
Photos by Joshua Schave.

American men’s skeet competitor Vincent Hancock made waves at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as the first Olympic shooter to win four gold medals in the same individual event. Not only that, he joined an elite list of athletes—Hancock is one of only seven Olympians throughout history to capture four gold medals in the same event, including four Americans—Al Oerter (discus), Carl Lewis (long jump), Michael Phelps (200 m butterfly) and Katie Ledecky (800 m freestyle).

“It’s pretty special for me because I love the Olympics,” Hancock said. “The fact that I’ve been able to do what I’ve done in this sport and just have my name in the same breath as them—that’s special to me.”

Hancock missed just two of 60 targets in the men’s skeet final. After four finalists were eliminated, it came down to Hancock and U.S. teammate Conner Prince for the gold. Upping the ante even further—Hancock is Prince’s shooting coach. Although Hancock held the lead for most of the final, it was all on the line at the end. After Prince missed his 54th shot, Hancock shattered his last four targets to win gold and become a four-time champion. “This was the hardest one yet,” Hancock said. “But it was good to see Conner shooting the way he was and knowing I was going to have to bring everything I had in order to beat him.”

When asked if something other than a gold medal would have been acceptable to him this year, Hancock emphasized that a podium finish at the Olympics is a monumental accomplishment for any athlete. “I knew that coming into this, it’s a crapshoot,” he said. “With everything going perfectly, I’ll win gold. If it doesn’t, I can still win a medal. And that’s okay—you’re still an Olympic medalist, and you’ll always be an Olympic medalist.”

Apart from his Olympic gold medals, Hancock’s greatest legacy may be the shooters he coaches. In addition to Prince, the men’s skeet silver medalist, another Hancock pupil, Team USA’s Austen Smith, walked away from the women’s skeet final with a bronze medal. Hancock and Smith also picked up a mixed team skeet silver medal to close out the Paris 2024 Olympics, making them the first U.S. shooters to earn two medals at the same Games since Lones Wigger in Tokyo 1964. Learn more about how the U.S. Shooting Team fared at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at ssusa.org.

Latest

John Parker flowing piece flintlock muzzleloader right-side view on white background
John Parker flowing piece flintlock muzzleloader right-side view on white background

Captain John Parker's Fowler: Witness To History

While thousands of firearms were used in and around the Massachusetts towns of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, few survive today. One survivor is the flintlock fowler used by Capt. John Parker of the Lexington militia.

New For 2025: Mossberg 590M Standoff & 500 Slugster Pump Shotguns

The Mossberg 500 is one of the most popular pump-action shotguns ever made. That doesn’t keep the company from making updates and improvements, as evidenced in the new-for-2025 590M Standoff and 500 Slugster series.

Preview: Warthog Sharpeners V-Sharp Elite A4

Warthog USA’s V-Sharp Elite A4 pairs the company’s most feature-packed portable blade-sharpening unit with a detachable wooden base for added stability.

The Men & Guns Of Lexington Green

On April 19, 1775, 250 years ago, approximately 80 armed militiamen from Lexington gathered on their village green to confront several hundred British infantrymen. The events of that morning began a conflict that would ultimately establish the United States of America.

"Battle Road" & The British Retreat To Boston: 250 Years Later

After the fights at Lexington and Concord's North Bridge, the British column had to return to Boston. On its way, the regulars were set upon by hundreds, then thousands, of armed militiamen hell bent on revenge.

Preview: Hawke Airmax 2-7X 32 mm AO

Shooters looking to add optics to their air rifles should choose airgun-specific scopes such as those in Hawke’s Airmax line—which offers four models.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.