USA Shooting via AP
AP Photo/Hassan Ammar
AP Photo/Hassan Ammar
AP Photo/Hassan Ammar
By Ralph Fox
WTOP Reporter
WASHINGTON — The West Springfield Spartans were Spartan strong Saturday after news that graduate Ginny Thrasher, 19, was the first to win a gold medal for Team USA, pulling off an upset in the women’s 10-meter air rifle event Saturday morning.
While many are no doubt celebrating the win, her neighbors took time out to remember the girl who baby-sat their grandchildren.
“She turned those air rifle talents into a scholarship at West Virginia University,” neighbor Harry Watkins said.
Watkins, who lives a few doors down from the Thrashers, said he believes the fame of winning won’t change the teen he’s known since she was small. He says the day she gets back from Rio, she’ll be packing her bags and driving down to WVU to start the fall semester.
She will compete again Thursday in the women’s 50-meter rifle event.
