In this image provided by USA Shooting, Ginny Thrasher is shown at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Smallbore at Fort Benning, Ga., in April. Thrasher was a surprise double NCAA champion as a freshman and followed that up by winning the U.S. Olympic Trials three weeks later. After a run like that, there’s no reason to think she can’t win Olympic gold in Rio.
(USA Shooting via AP)
USA Shooting via AP
Virginia Thrasher of the United States celebrates winning a shootout to secure the gold medal in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle event at Olympic Shooting Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016.
(AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
AP Photo/Hassan Ammar
Gold medal winner, Virginia Thrasher of the United States, sings along with the U.S. national anthem after receiving the gold medal during the victory ceremony for the Women’s 10m Air Rifle event at Olympic Shooting Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016.
(AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
AP Photo/Hassan Ammar
Virginia Thrasher of the United States celebrates with her coach winning the gold medal during the victory ceremony for the Women’s 10m Air Rifle event, at Olympic Shooting Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016.
(AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
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.
