When <a href="http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=kim-rhode/index.html">Kim Rhode</a>, then 17, stood on the podium at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta with her first gold medal hanging from her neck, she never dreamed 16 years later she would make history in London at the <a href="http://www.london2012.com/">2012 Summer Olympic Games</a>, but that's exactly what happened this morning. Rhode, 33, set a new Olympic record in qualifying for Women's Skeet with 74 hits out of 75. She went on to match her own world record with a perfect 25 in the final for a total of 99 out of 100, winning the gold. She is the first U.S. athlete in history to medal in an individual sport at five consecutive Olympic Games. Before today, Rhode had collected two gold medals in the Double Trap event in 1996 and 2004, a bronze in 2000 and a silver in the Skeet at the Beijing 2008 games, cementing herself as one of the best competitive shotgun shooters in the world. And she's not done yet. "I do not see myself quitting any time soon," Rhode says on the <a href="http://www.london2012.com/news/articles/rhode-shoots-historic-gold.html">official Olympics website</a>. "I'm looking forward to 2016 and a few more after that. The oldest Olympic medalist was a shooter and he was 72, so I still have a few more in me." That means continuing her intense training schedule. Rhode shoots as many as 500 to 1,000 shells a day and has continued a dedicated practice routine for 23 years. She estimates she has fired as many as 2 million shotshells in her life. China's Ning Wir took the silver in Women's Skeet and Slovakia's Danka Bartekova won bronze after a shoot-off with Russia's Martina Belikova. <em><strong>Keep clicking for more photos from the event and of Rhode's win!</strong></em>
When Kim Rhode, then 17, stood on the podium at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta with her first gold medal hanging from her neck, she never dreamed 16 years later she would make history in London at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, but that's exactly what happened this morning. Rhode, 33, set a new Olympic record in qualifying for Women's Skeet with 74 hits out of 75. She went on to match her own world record with a perfect 25 in the final for a total of 99 out of 100, winning the gold. She is the first U.S. athlete in history to medal in an individual sport at five consecutive Olympic Games. Before today, Rhode had collected two gold medals in the Double Trap event in 1996 and 2004, a bronze in 2000 and a silver in the Skeet at the Beijing 2008 games, cementing herself as one of the best competitive shotgun shooters in the world. And she's not done yet. "I do not see myself quitting any time soon," Rhode says on the official Olympics website. "I'm looking forward to 2016 and a few more after that. The oldest Olympic medalist was a shooter and he was 72, so I still have a few more in me." That means continuing her intense training schedule. Rhode shoots as many as 500 to 1,000 shells a day and has continued a dedicated practice routine for 23 years. She estimates she has fired as many as 2 million shotshells in her life. China's Ning Wir took the silver in Women's Skeet and Slovakia's Danka Bartekova won bronze after a shoot-off with Russia's Martina Belikova. Keep clicking for more photos from the event and of Rhode's win!.
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Kim Rhode as her score is posted, making her the 2012 Gold Medal winner at Women’s Skeet.
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Kim gives some love to her shotshell sponsor, Winchester. Her intense training schedule includes shooting 500 to 1,000 shells each day, making a shell sponsor pretty much a necessity.
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Kim walks to shoot the final 25 targets in the preliminary round.
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After three rounds, Kim leads by four targets, shooting a 74/75.
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The final six competitors in the final round of Women’s Skeet.
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Kim Rhode eyes up greatness, waiting her turn.
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Center stage: Kim Rhode accepts the gold medal in Women’s Skeet with a total score of 99/100 — tying her own world record. She has medaled in individual events in the past 5 consecutive Olympic Games. Rhode is the first U.S. Olympic athlete to acheive this feat.
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Kim Rhodes (center) took gold, here with with China’s Ning Wir (left) who took the silver in Women’s Skeet and Slovakia’s Danka Bartekova, who won bronze after a shoot-off with Russia’s Martina Belikova.
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She definitely has some fans…the stands at the shotgun range were packed during the event.

When Kim Rhode, then 17, stood on the podium at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta with her first gold medal hanging from her neck, she never dreamed 16 years later she would make history in London at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, but that’s exactly what happened this morning.

Rhode, 33, set a new Olympic record in qualifying for Women’s Skeet with 74 hits out of 75. She went on to match her own world record with a perfect 25 in the final for a total of 99 out of 100, winning the gold.

She is the first U.S. athlete in history to medal in an individual sport at five consecutive Olympic Games.

Before today, Rhode had collected two gold medals in the Double Trap event in 1996 and 2004, a bronze in 2000 and a silver in the Skeet at the Beijing 2008 games, cementing herself as one of the best competitive shotgun shooters in the world. And she’s not done yet.

“I do not see myself quitting any time soon,” Rhode says on the official Olympics website. “I’m looking forward to 2016 and a few more after that. The oldest Olympic medalist was a shooter and he was 72, so I still have a few more in me.”

That means continuing her intense training schedule. Rhode shoots as many as 500 to 1,000 shells a day and has continued a dedicated practice routine for 23 years. She estimates she has fired as many as 2 million shotshells in her life.

China’s Ning Wir took the silver in Women’s Skeet and Slovakia’s Danka Bartekova won bronze after a shoot-off with Russia’s Martina Belikova.

Keep clicking for more photos from the event and of Rhode’s win!

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