Wrong target costs shooter gold

By STEVE RIVERA

Gannett News Service

MARKOPOULO, Greece - With one bullet left to shoot, all Matt Emmons needed was a score of 7.2 to win his second gold medal of the Olympic Games.

On his first nine shots in the finals, Emmons' lowest score was a 9.3.

He took careful aim, fired ... bull's eye.

Only Emmons' shot pierced the wrong target - known as a crossfire - resulting in a score of 0.

Instead of gold, Emmons, 23, of Browns Hill, N.J., was left trying to explain the rare mistake that left him in eighth place.

``Stuff happens,'' he said. ``That's the Games, that's just sports. In all honesty, I was the best guy on the line. I can go away with that and be happy. I had a gold-medal performance, and that's all that matters. I don't know if I can make up for this, but I'm looking forward to Beijing. I'll live to shoot another day.''

China's Jia Zhanbo won the gold, finishing with 1264.5. USA's Michael Anti (1263.1) won the silver, and Austria's Christian Planer (1257.4), whose target Emmons hit, ended up with the bronze. Emmons finished with a score of 1257.4.

Emmons, who won the prone rifle gold on Friday, said he felt fine going into his final shot. He said he was more concerned with calming himself down rather than looking at his target.

``Every great once in a while, that will happen,'' Emmons said. ``Six or seven years ago was the last time I crossed-fired.''

Anti gave Emmons a sympathetic hug.

``It must be devastating for him,'' Anti said. ``He's the best shooter I've ever seen. It must have been a mental error. I've seen it happen before, but I can't believe it happened to Emmons.''