Dallas City News

Vincent Hancock is now the sixth Olympian ever to win four gold medals in the same event, joining Al Oerter (USA, discus), Paul Elvstrom (Denmark, sailing one-person class), Carl Lewis (USA, long jump), Michael Phelps (USA, 200m individual medley), and Mijain Lopez (Cuba, Greco-Roman heavyweight). He is the first shooting Olympian to accomplish this feat.

The five-time Olympian has had a bit of a different experience at the Paris Olympics.

“Honestly, I probably would never believe this. I mean. I think we tried to dream this into existence, and it happened,” Hancock said.

He is talking about the dream he and two of his students created. Hancock won his fourth gold, and his student from Keller, Austen Smith won bronze in the individual events and silver in the mixed skeet event with Hancock. Then, his other student, Conner Prince of Burleson, won silver, just behind Hancock in the men’s individual events.

Five medals between the three of them in one Olympics.

“With Conner and I competing against each other, I have to beat the guy because right now, he is doing everything he can. That’s what I was thinking. I’m thinking ‘he is beating me up until the very last station. I’m like, all right, he is doing really really good. He is doing everything that we’ve been practicing,” Hancock said.

We asked Prince the same question, but he had a much different answer.

“Honestly, him being my coach wasn’t even in my mind. I was so in the zone, I would just take it one target at a time,” Prince said.

As for Smith, she too was focused on the competition, but also the mental game.

“It was a hard push, really. I mean, those women were at the top of their games, to say the least,” Smith said.

The three have such great chemistry and love the sport, but as life goes, sometimes there are different plans.

Austen said she would love to compete in another Olympics, but first, she wants to complete her degree. She is currently majoring in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington.

“But if there is time, if there is space, I would think about doing it again,” Smith said.

Prince said he isn’t giving her an option.

“She doesn’t know this yet, but she is coming to. And yes, I want to do it again,” Prince said.

As for the greatest to ever compete in the sport, he wants to do it at least one more time too. Los Angeles in 2028 will be his sixth Olympics if he makes Team USA.

“I can’t pass up the opportunity to do it. At least try to make Team USA again and try to defend the gold,” Hancock said.