After the Trap, another full success for Beretta in the Skeet: it was Vincent Hancock, the king of kings, who proved to be the best of all in this discipline. Compatriot Conner Prince came second in his first participation in a sporting event of this calibre, while Taiwanese shooter Lee Meng Yuan took third place. Fourth was Tammaro Cassandro, the only Italian in the final after Rossetti was eliminated at the shoot-off.
That it was going to be a beautiful competition was evident from the morning’s qualifying sessions: a lot of concreteness and very few mistakes, the constant changes in light and wind conditions made the Skeet competition truly enthralling. In the field, Beretta presented itself with no less than five out of six athletes. The odds-on favourite was Vincent Hancock, who confirmed himself as champion by taking home this title by making only two mistakes (on the 29th and 34th skeet). The ranking was defined at the end of the series of forty clays: Cassandro, after three errors on the 32nd, 34th and 36th clay, finished fourth. At that moment Prince was in the lead with a one-skeet advantage over Hancock and the final three-way battle saw Lee melt away and leave the two Americans fighting for the title: experience won, coolness won, the Champion with a capital C won, with 58 plates broken against Prince’s 57. Hancock was proclaimed champion for the fourth time at such a prestigious sporting event, wielding his inseparable DT11.
“I started off strong and missed a couple of targets in the middle section, then I realised that if I wanted to beat Conner, I would have to be perfect for the rest of the time,” Vincent said at the end of the competition. “The wind that was there, and also the nerves, caused a lot of zeros for all the athletes and I just wanted to be the one who missed the least. Winning the heaviest metal once again was a dream come true, each time it is more and more difficult to take home a victory. I expect to do my best, although you never know what will happen on the field. I am extremely grateful and I prayed a lot for this to happen. This competition has been tiring, I need to get myself together and get my energy back – I have been sleeping very little and this has reminded me that I am getting old and have been doing this for a long time.”
Old only competitively, as he is only 35 years old: Vincent Hancock (born 1989) is a sergeant in the United States Army and a member of the Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning. He is a US Skeet shooter and four-time overall champion.
Young Prince shares the feeling of competing for the first time at the sporting event to which all athletes aspire: “I was incredibly nervous for a competition like that. After the first mistake I kept my rhythm and hit one target at a time, convincing myself that if I executed the trials well I would come out on top or behind Vincent. Especially because he is my coach and to be on the podium with him is great!”
Conner Lynn Prince (class of 2000) is a Skeet shooter from Texas, who entered the competition thanks to his victory in the 2023 World Cup in Rabat.
The congratulations of President Franco Gussalli Beretta, who was present in the stands, were not slow in coming for the champion: “A truly exciting race and a result that fills the heart with pride. What happened here today is something exceptional, extraordinary. A big thank you to Vincent who continues to keep the Beretta brand at the top of the Olympus. But I want to sincerely congratulate all our athletes for their performance. In particular to Prince, as it was his first time at such a prestigious event. As a company, we are proud to be able to provide our support to the athletes and the movement, both nationally with Fitav and internationally with ISSF, not just as mere suppliers, but as partners. This success further strengthens our bond and commitment to them.”
CEO and General Manager Carlo Ferlito also paid his compliments: “We are immensely proud of our athletes who won the men’s Skeet, as they did the Trap. Trapshooting is a sport that exalts fair competition, teamwork and attention to detail, principles that also guide our work in the company. Every victory is the result of a collective effort and the success of our athletes is a reflection of the unity and strength of our Company and our country. Sport continues to be a powerful engine for growth, inspiring generations and promoting values of excellence.”
“Congratulations to Vincent, Conner and Lee on an extraordinary achievement. – commented Daniele Piva, Vice President Commercial Market Business of Fabbrica d’Armi Pietro Beretta SpA – This success is the result not only of their efforts, but also of our unceasing work to provide the best guns. We have seen the triumph of the DT11, an iconic shotgun synonymous with precision and reliability throughout the world, thanks also to our Steelium Pro technology for the barrels: a title that we have not conferred on ourselves, but which derives from the incredible trail of successes achieved by the athletes who sling this shotgun. Each of our products, even in the clothing, is designed to give maximum support to the shooter, helping to break every clay with precision.”
