Elizabeth Callahan

Elizabeth "Libby" Callahan (born February 25, 1952) is an American sport shooter.[2] She is a four-time Olympian, and a two-time medalist for pistol shooting at the Pan American Games (1991 in Havana, Cuba and 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada).[1] She also worked as a police officer in Washington, D.C. for almost three decades, before retiring in 2003.[3]

Libby Callahan

Callahan competing at the 2008 Olympics
Personal information
Full name	Elizabeth Callahan
Nationality	American
Born	(1952-02-25) February 25, 1952 Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.
Height	5 ft 2 in (1.57 m)
Weight	141 lb (64 kg)
Sport
Sport	Shooting
Event(s)	10 m air pistol (AP40) 25 m pistol (SP)
Coached by	Sergey Luzov[1]
Medal record Representing the  United States Pan American Games 1999 Winnipeg 25 m pistol 1991 Havana 10 m air pistol

Shooting career

Callahan, born in Columbia, South Carolina, started out her sporting career in 1980, when she learned shooting with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington D.C. She went on to become a five-time women's police revolver champion in various local competitions, until she took up international, Olympic-style shooting, after joining the U.S. Army reserve in 1985.[4] Three years later, Callahan became a member of the U.S. national shooting team, and had achieved numerous titles and top-ten finishes at the USA Shooting National Championships. She captured three more medals (one silver and two bronze) in air and pistol shooting at the 1992, 2001, and 2005 ISSF World Cup series.[1] She also competed for all pistol shooting events at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, and 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, but she neither reached the final round, nor claimed an Olympic medal.[4]

Sixteen years after competing in her first Olympics, Callahan qualified for her fourth U.S. shooting team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, by winning the sport pistol from the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Fort Benning, Georgia.[5] At age fifty-six, Callahan also held her distinction of being the oldest female and most experienced member of the U.S. Olympic team, and consequently, surpassed the record set by equestrian rider Kyra Downton (who competed as a 55-year-old at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City).[6] She competed only in the women's 25 m pistol, where she was able to shoot 287 targets in the precision stage, and 288 in the rapid fire, for a total score of 575 points, finishing only in twenty-fifth place.[7][8]

Olympic results

Event	1992	1996	2004	2008
25 metre pistol	—	23rd 573	19th 575	25th 575[8]
10 metre air pistol	37th 372	—	30th 374	—

References

1. "ISSF Profile – Elizabeth Callahan". ISSF. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
2. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Libby Callahan". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on December 14, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
3. "American shooter Libby Callahan". NBC Olympics. Associated Press. August 13, 2008. Archived from the original on January 3, 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
4. Garber, Greg (July 14, 2004). "Age is an advantage in shooting". ESPN. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
5. "Beyerle, Fong in the Lead Women's 3-Position Rifle at 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials". The Shooting Wire. May 21, 2008. Archived from the original on February 28, 2011. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
6. "Callahan, 56, earns 4th trip to the Olympics". USA Today. Associated Press. May 15, 2008. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
7. "Women's 25 m Pistol Qualification". NBC Olympics. Archived from the original on August 16, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
8. "Callahan finishes 25th, Snyder Takes 28th Place in Women's 25 m Pistol". Team USA. August 14, 2008. Retrieved January 6, 2013.

External links

• Elizabeth Callahan at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee
• Elizabeth Callahan at the International Olympic Committee
• NBC 2008 Olympics profile