Austen Smith’s second Olympic appearance proved to be the chance she needed to win a medal. The Keller-native won her first Olympic medal on Sunday, a bronze.
“I am elated. I am over the moon and loving every moment of it,” said Smith. “Just to have an Olympic medal is my dream.”
Smith told NBC 5 in the spring that she was ready for her second Olympics and for a slightly different experience than the previous one.
“It has been overwhelming. It never gets old, especially the second time around. Tokyo was a great experience, but just with the way the COVID was and now I finally get to have that experience with my family,” Smith said in March. “One thing I am really working on this time is the mental game. That was one thing I was really struggling with a little but by last Games.”
Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
Her coach, Vincent Hancock, who lives in Denton County, won his fourth gold medal in men’s skeet on Saturday. Hancock’s other student, Conner Prince from Burleson, won the silver just behind him.
Smith’s story isn’t over yet at the Paris Olympics. She and Hancock will compete in mixed skeet shooting on Monday and have a chance to win a second medal. To see how Hancock and Smith did Monday, click here for a recap.
