Kim Rhode’s shot at history starts Friday. That’s when skeet shooting gets underway in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the Games of the XXXI Olympiad. If Rhode can claim a spot on the podium, she would become the first Olympic athlete to medal in six consecutive summer games.
If it occurs, Rhode can only hope that her moment won’t be marred by inappropriate questions as it has in the past. After her gold-medal victory at the 2012 London Games, the first question asked of her was, “Can you comment on Aurora?”
Leading up to Rio, the five-time medalist has already had to endure questions about the terrorist attacks in Orlando and San Bernardino. “No other sport in the Olympics gets that,” she points out. And nothing riles up Rhode more than a media who only reports on the negative. "They don't talk about the scholarships that kids are getting or the shooting teams around the country where kids are learning things like discipline, respect and teamwork—things they'll use for the rest of their life."
Good luck in Rio, Kim. Here’s hoping the media takes the opportunity to properly celebrate your shining moment in history.
