Army Sergeant Shoots to Olympic Gold - Vincent Hancock

We have mentioned several members from the Public Safety community who are competing in the 2012 London Olympics - an EMT, Firefighter, Police Officer and Army Soldiers.  One has already earned a Gold medal - Kayla Harrison.  Here's another Gold medal winner!!

Vincent Hancock won his first World Championship in Skeet Shooting when he was 16 years old (in 2005)!  Now at 23 years old he has 2 Olympic Gold medals!!  Here's a look at his history of Gold medals, this does not include the long list of additional medals he has earned:

• 2005 Championship of the Americas - Gold (tied World Record)
• 2005 World Cup Changwon - Gold (set World Record)
• 2005 World Championship - Gold
• 2006 Spring Selection - Gold
• 2007 Fall Selection - Gold
• 2007 World Cup Italy - Gold (set World Record)
• 2007 Pan Am Games - Gold
• 2008 World Cup Suhl - Gold
• 2008 BEIJING OLYMPICS - GOLD (set Olympic Record)
• 2009 National Championship - Gold
• 2009 World Championship - Gold
• 2010 National Championship - Gold
• 2010 Fall Selection - Gold
• 2011 Pan Am Games - Gold
• 2012 National Championship - Gold
• 2012 LONDON OLYMPICS - GOLD (set Olympic Record)

Vincent is the first Olympian to win back-to-back Gold medals in the Skeet Shooting event.  He broke his own Olympic Record to win this Gold by hitting 123 of 125 targets in Qualifying, and nearly achieved overall perfection by hitting all 25 targets in the Final for a total score = 148 of 150.

Vincent is stationed in Fort Benning, GA where he is a Sergeant with the US Army Marksmanship Unit.  He is also married with two children.

CONGRATS to Vincent and Go Team USA!!

Celebrate with Vincent and watch this video of him talk about winning Olympic Gold (again!) for Team USA!!

Pentathlete and US Army Soldier - Dennis Bowsher

If you don't know about the Modern Pentathlon, here's a quick lesson.

The Modern Pentathlon has 5 events:

• Fencing
• Shooting
• Equestrian
• Swimming
• Running

It was created in 1912 for the Olympics that year.  At the time it represented the skills of an ideal soldier - one who could fight with a sword, fight with a pistol, ride a horse, swim and run.  This year, the Modern Pentathlon celebrates 100 years of continuous competition in the Olympic Games!

Team USA is sending an Army soldier and accomplished Pentathlete to represent us - Dennis Bowsher.  Dennis has several medals in national competition:

• Gold - 2005 US National Championships
• Bronze - 2006 US National Championships
• Gold - 2007 US National Championships
• Gold - 2009 US National Championships
• Bronze - 2010 US National Championships
• Gold - 2011 US National Championships

Dennis lives in Colorado Springs where he trains at the US Olympic Complex.  His dream has always been to qualify for the Olympics, and this year he did!!

As a soldier, Dennis is part of the Army's World Class Athlete Program - which sent 11 athletes to the 2012 London Olympics!  Dennis first enlisted in the US Army in 2005, and currently serves as a Specialist (SPC).

To support his community in Colorado Springs, Dennis took time last month to join other athletes who were visiting victims of the devastating Colorado Wildfires.

Go Dennis and Go Team USA!!!

The Modern Pentathlon gets going Saturday, Aug 11th

Check out this personal video from Dennis about his sport...

Army Sergeant Wrestling for Team USA - Spenser Mango

As you know, from our prior postings, the US Army sent 11 soldiers to the 2012 London Olympics!  We've looked at Dremiel Byers and Keith Sanderson.  This time we'll talk about an Army soldier and Greco-Roman wrestler, Spenser Mango.

Spenser wrestles in the 55 kg category (to save you the calculation, 55 kg = 121 lbs).  Going into these Olympics, Spenser is Team USA's #1 ranked wrestler in his weight class.

After being a two-time All American wrestler for Stanford, he transferred to Northern Michigan University where he enrolled in the US Olympic Education Center.  He graduated from Northern Michigan and has been wrestling for Team USA for 6 years.  He has also served in the US Army for 2 years.

Spenser's wrestling career includes:

• 2006 World Championship, Bronze
• 2006 University World Championship, 1st Place
• 2008 National Championship, 1st Place
• 2008 Olympics, 8th Place
• 2009 World Championship, 9th Place
• 2010, 2011 and 2012 US Open Championship, 1st Place

So given his dominance of the American field, let's cheer Spenser on to dominate the International field at these London Olympics!

Go Spenser and Team USA Wrestling!!

The Olympic Wrestling competition starts Sunday, Aug 5th

Here's a video of Spenser wrestling at the New York Athletic Club...

Army Soldier is Pistol Shooting for Team USA - Keith Sanderson

We have talked before about the US Army's World Class Athlete Program (WCAP).  They sent 11 soldiers to the 2012 London Olympics!  And here's one of them - sharp shooter Keith Sanderson.

Keith joined the Marine Corps just after high school, where he competed for the Marine Shooting Team in rifle matches.  After eight years with the Marines he joined the Army Reserves and started college.  In 2005, after four years in the Reserves, he transferred to Active Duty as an Army soldier.

Along the way Keith has sharpened his shooting skills, primarily in the Rapid Fire Pistol program, and his results prove it.  Keith has medaled in multiple events:

• Gold - National Championship (2004)
• Gold - National Championship (2005)
• Bronze - Championships of the Americas (2005)
• Silver - Pan American Games (2006)
• Bronze - World Cup Munich (2007)
• Gold - World Cup Beijing (2009)
• Bronze - World Cup Munich (2009)
• Silver - World Cup Chagnwon (2009)
• Bronze - World Championship (2010)
• Bronze - World Cup Final Wroclaw (2011)
• Silver - World Cup Chagnwon (2011)

This year his sights are set on medaling at the London Olympics!

Go Keith and Team USA Shooting!!

The Shooting competition started a few days ago, but Keith's portion starts today (Aug 2nd) and continues for the next few days

Check out this video where Keith talks about going to his 2nd Olympics!!

US Army Soldier and Olympic Wrestler - Dremiel Byers

Dremiel Byers has an impressive resume, both for his service in the US Army and for his career as a wrestler.  He is an amateur wrestler who competes in the Greco-Roman discipline.

Dremiel grew up wrestling in high school and won the North Carolina State Championship in 1993.  He opted to attend college on a football scholarship, but that lasted just one year.  He then joined the Army as a soldier and was quickly placed in the Army's World Class Athlete Program (WCAP).

Over the years Dremiel has achieved several things in the super heavyweight category:

• US Armed Forced Champion (9 times)
• US National Champion (10 times)
• World Military Champion (2005)
• World Champion (2001)

This will be his second trip to the Olympics, following his previous trip to Beijing in 2008.

At the 2012 London Olympics, Dremiel has his sights set on Gold.  Before his grandfather passed away he promised his grandfather he would bring home an Olympic Gold medal.  He wants to fulfill that promise!

As a Sergeant 1st Class Army soldier, Dremiel is based in Fort Carson, CO.  And he is on Active Duty in the Quartermaster Corps.

The Olympic Wrestling schedule starts on Sunday, August 5th

Check out this video from the US Army and Dremiel Byers!

And Go Team USA!!

Police Officer Coaching US Badminton - Ben Lee

When he's not patrolling for the Palo Alto Police Department, Ben Lee is coaching the US Badminton Team.  In January he was officially chosen to coach Team USA at the 2012 London Olympics!  In fact, he got the call while on-duty as a Police Officer.

Ben competed as the captain of the US Badminton Team in Barcelona (1992) - when he was hitting the birdie 180 MPH!  He has now gone on to lead a Badminton Academy in Fremont, CA.  And he has big goals for the US program, saying he "would like to see the US become a badminton powerhouse."

Ben says his work as a Police Officer has made him a better Coach.  He was recently asked if his training in law enforcement helps.  He said, "I think it does.  I think the discipline, the mindset of waking up early, training.  When you set your mind to something, just be disciplined and stay with that."

Go Team USA!!

The badminton team plays from July 28 - Aug 5 at Wembley Arena, here's the schedule

And you can see Ben talk about it first-hand, right here...

EMT Going for Gold - Kayla Harrison

Kayla Harrison has a history of success!  And she'll be going for Gold in London.  Kayla competes in Judo and would be the first American man or woman to ever win Olympic Gold in this event!!

Go Kayla!  Go Team USA!!

And back home, in Boston, Kayla has more than just Judo on her mind.  She recently received her EMT certification.  After retiring from Judo, she wants to become a Firefighter - she is #1 on the list of hires at the Marblehead Fire Department.  And she is currently engaged - to a Firefighter!  CONGRATS!!

Click here for Kayla's complete story via ESPN

Here's a complete schedule of Olympic Judo events

And check out this video from one of Kayla's recent matches...