Kim Rhode

Shooting

After you’ve shot a 400-pound bear, how tough can winning a gold medal be?

Kim Rhode, a 17-year-old from El Monte, Calif., overcame a mild case of jitters Tuesday to capture the first Olympic gold medal ever awarded in women’s double trap. Was that as impressive to her as dropping a bear with a single shot, which she did two years ago in northern California?

“The gold medal outweighs the bear - most definitely,” the smiling Olympic champion said.

While Rhode may be a newcomer to international stardom, she became a polished shooter by the time she was in elementary school. At age 10 she went on a safari to Africa with her parents.

After firing off the last two shots, hitting clay targets to clinch the gold, Rhode sprinted into the stands and jumped into the arms of her father.

“Sure, I was a little nervous. This is the Olympics,” Rhode said. “I relied on the hard work I had put into the sport. I wasn’t going to let it go that easily.”

Rhode, headed for her senior year in high school, soared to the top in international competition in just two years. Since finishing fifth at the World Shotgun Championships last year, she won a gold medal and two bronze in international competitions.