COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. –-(Ammoland.com)- Eric Hollen (Colorado Springs, Colo.), the recently announced 2011 USA Shooting Paralympic Athlete of the Year, can now add another accolade to his resume.
In accordance with the U.S. Paralympics Shooting Team selection procedures, the quota that Hollen won from the 2011 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Cup Sydney earns him a nomination to the 2012 U.S. Paralympic Team (pending approval by the United States Olympic Committee).
“I am so proud of Eric and all he has accomplished. Despite a long, hard trip, short acclimation time and the pressure of knowing it was the final opportunity to win a quota, he got the job done in Sydney,” said National Paralympic Coach Bob Foth.
Hollen was an addition to the U.S. Olympic Training Center (OTC) Resident Athlete roster in 2011. At the IPC World Cup Sydney he won a bronze medal in P4 Mixed 50m Free Pistol. Then, in P1 Men’s 10m Air Pistol, Hollen shot 557 match points to tie three shooters, but was confident in his finals ability.
Coach Foth commented, “His finals have really come together and the competitive situation brings out his best.” Hollen fired 98.1 points in ten-shots to secure the silver medal. The historic part, however, came from the 2012 Paralympic quota that Hollen won along with the medal. This is the first-ever Paralympic quota won in USA Shooting’s history per IPC’s new quota distribution system.
An elated Hollen said, “I am so thankful to be part of such an amazing program and to the people who have helped me reach the next step to my ultimate goal-Coach Bob Foth, Coach Ray Arredondo, Sean McCann, Dave Johnson, Sergey Luzov and many more.”
Hollen”Eric is an Army Special Forces veteran who has taken advantage of the unique opportunities available as an OTC Resident Athlete-the amazing support and intangibles that come with being in a high performance environment with focused athletes,” emphasized Coach Foth.
Hollen will remain at the OTC in Colorado Springs, Colo., to continue his preparations for the London 2012 Paralympic Games. To request an interview with Eric Hollen, please contact USAS Media and Public Relations Manager Katie Yergensen at katie.yergensen@usashooting.org.
About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and Facebook.