16-year-old Grace Marlen became the first female athlete in Scholastic Clay Target Program Nationals history to win HOA for American Trap Shooting at the national level.
Shooting sports are one of our most revered pastimes—especially at the scholastic level—and there's now a new trap shooting champ. Her name is Grace Marlen, a 16-year-old from Freeburg, Illinois, who has the distinction of being the first female to take the HOA (High Over All) at the American Trap SCTP National Championship.
During competition at the Scholastic Clay Target Program Nationals in Marengo, Ohio, Grace shot a perfect 200 of 200 at the 16-yard level which gave her the Ladies division title.
Later, tied with two male shooters, including the defending champion, miss Marlen then won a shoot off by hitting 75-of-75 clay targets!
According to her dad, Nate Marlen, himself a former national collegiate trap shooting place winner during his collegiate days competing for the University of Illinois club team, "I took Grace hunting with me when she was little, but she's been shooting since she was 9 or 10."
But you can listen to the young woman tell it in her own words right here:
And a $7,600 scholarship for shooting a Browning to boot! She said that she uses an improved/modified choke for competition shooting. As she was shooting from the 16-yard house she said "I'm not sure the exact speed, but they're pretty fast!"
Grace encourages all young women and girls to try the shooting sports. For one thing, she credits it for helping her focus, which she says even helps her scholastically with testing at school.
Just listening to her speak on the video makes you want to see her become a spokeswoman for the shooting sports, and for any gender. Big congratulations go out to Grace Marlen for her awesome and well-earned win! here's hoping that we get to see more of her in the future.
Can you say 2020 Olympic Games?
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NEXT: USA SHOOTING TEAM AIMS FOR OLYMPICS WITH RECENT MEDALS ENSURING QUOTAS
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