Sagen Maddalena earned bronze in the 50m rifle 3 positions event at the world shooting championships on Monday, ending the longest U.S. medal drought in any rifle event.
China’s Zhang Qiongyue and Han Jiayu took gold and silver ahead of Maddalena, who became the first U.S. medalist in the event since 1990.
“Gold is what we’re reaching for, but you’ve got to take it one step at a time, so I feel pretty good about it,” Maddalena said in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Maddalena, 30, placed fifth in her Olympic debut in Tokyo.
Earlier Monday, she earned gold with Mary Tucker and Sarah Beard in the team event, which is not on the Olympic program.
Maddalena walked on to the rifle team at the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 2013, then enlisted in active duty in March 2019 and was assigned to the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit in For Benning, Georgia.
Launi Meili and Jamie Corkish won Olympic titles in the event for the U.S. in 1992 and 2012.