MADISON, Wis. — Mike Cumming of Altoona, Pa., won his first gold medal Saturday in the rifle event at the ESPN Great Outdoor Games V presented by Dodge by tuning out the two-time gold medalist shooting beside him: Jerry Miculek of Princeton, La.
Cumming came into the match at Madison's Alliant Energy Center after winning bronze at the 2001 and 2003 Games, but put the field on notice by winning the second seed in the morning qualifying rounds. During the afternoon finals, Cumming reached the gold-medal round by upsetting the 2003 gold medalist, Doug Koenig of Alburtis, Pa. in the semifinals.
By falling to Cumming, Miculek won his first silver medal at the Games. He captured the gold in 2001 and 2002. Carl Bernosky of Ashland, Pa., the 2003 silver medalist, won bronze by defeating Koenig.
The ESPN rifle event is a head-to-head speed-shooting duel with .22 rifles. The shooters first must shoot 10 targets at 60 yards, and then switch to their individual "dueling tree" at 50 yards. The "trees" have four circular targets of 1.75 to 3 inches in diameter, which swing around when hit. To prevent their opponent from finishing -- and assuming they've shot their 10 targets at 60 yards -- the marksmen can shoot each other's targets on the dueling tree to "close" them and force reshoots.
Cumming did not to even think about trying to close any of Miculek's targets. "I decided I was going to play my game and let him play his," Cumming said. "When I reached the dueling tree, I just stayed on my side and didn't look over at his. He crossed over and closed some of mine, but I just stayed on my side and thought, if he wins, he wins."
Miculek is one of the nation's top speed shooters, but said his shooting was ragged most of the day. "That monkey was on my back and I couldn't get him onto anyone else's back," he said. "Anything can happen when you're shooting man to man like this, and a little luck doesn't hurt, either."
Koenig was disappointed about placing fourth, his lowest finish ever at the Games. "Disappointed is an understatement," Koenig said. "Mike, Jerry and Carl shot very well today, but I just didn't have it together. I let myself get distracted and never got focused. I was hearing the crowd noise today, and that tells me I'm not focused."
Before outdueling Koenig in the semi-finals, Cumming defeated his brother Vince in the second round. The brothers practice against each other at home, but said it's not the same as facing off at the Games. Vince joked afterward that he would have won if not for a mechanical malfunction, even though the final score was 100-40.
Cumming, Bernosky, Miculek and Koenig have dominated this Great Outdoor Games event the past five years. Between the foursome, they've won 13 of the 15 rifle medals. Koenig still holds the overall lead with one gold and three silvers, and then it's Miculek with two golds and a bronze, Cumming with one gold and two bronzes, and Bernosky with one silver and two bronzes.
Their high finishes automatically qualify them for the 2005 Great Outdoor Games.
Rifle - Finals results
1. Mike Cumming, Altoona, Pa.
2. Jerry Miculek, Princeton, La.
3. Carl Bernosky, Ashland, Pa.
4. Doug Koenig, Albertis, Pa.
5. Randy Hendrix, Clemons, N.C.
5. Bruce Piatt, Montvale, N.J.
5. Vince Cumming, Altoona, Pa.
5. John Bagakis, Livermore, Calif.
9. Keith Brown, Greensboro, N.C.
9. Don Clark, Hollidaysburg, Pa.
9. Tony Holmes, Otterbein, Ind.
9. Ron Weaver, Odessa, Texas.
9. Bob Maples, Godfrey, Ill.
9. Jorge Rodriguez, Henderson, Nev.
9. Tim Vaitekunas, Edwardsville, Ill.
9. Randy Hollowbush, Topton, Pa.
