Rhode Finds Glory Again

The heat and humidity were suffocating, but as far as Kim Rhode was concerned, the Olympic Shooting Complex at Wolf Creek is paradise. This is where she won an Olympic gold medal in 1996, so it’s no wonder Rhode looked at ease here Tuesday as she returned to Atlanta and won the 1998 Double Trap national championship at the USA Shooting National Championships.

The 18-year old from El Monte ignored the 94-degree temperatures and high humidity to fire a two-day total of 248 to win the gold medal in the shotgun event. Rhode, who will be a sophomore at Cal Poly Pomona, also won the event at the national championships in 1995 and 1997.

“I love this range, the food’s great, the hotel’s great, it just feels great to be back in Atlanta,” Rhode said. “It gave me a lot of confidence knowing I won a gold medal here two years ago. . . . I was very comfortable out there.”

Rhode scored 104 of a possible 120 points on Day 1, and 109 on Day 2. The top six competitors went to a final round, and Rhode hit 35 of 40 birds with a 12-gauge shotgun to finish at 248. Joetta Novinski of Seale, Ala., was second at 236.