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Growing up in the small southwestern Wisconsin town of Darlington, Michael McPhail was indoctrinated into hunting culture early on. Come this August, he’ll go into the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro as the world’s best rifleman. And it’s been quite the journey getting there.

Although hunting of all sorts was a family affair — “We didn’t discriminate in my house,” he says with a laugh — it wasn’t until McPhail was in his early teens and was taken under the wing of family friend Bernie Weigel that shooting evolved from a hobby to a way of life.

“Without him, there’s no way I would be where I am today,” the 34-year-old says of his childhood mentor. Every day of pheasant-hunting season during the seventh and eighth grades, he’d hurry home after school to meet Weigel and head out into the field.

His success as a rifle competitor earned him a spot on the shooting team at University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, where he met his wife, Kari, who shares his sharp-shooting enthusiasm. Shortly after earning his degree, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was assigned to the Marksmanship Unit, an elite group of the world’s top shooters. That meant a move to Fort Benning, Georgia, for the Wisconsin natives.

sharp shooter olympics wisconsin Michael McPhail gold summer

McPhail continued to establish himself as a formidable foe on both national and international stages. And that led to the realization of a childhood dream: competing in the Olympics. He took with him to the 2012 London games the Anschutz 1613 he bought from coach Weigel back when he was a teenager. “When he sold me the rifle, I told him that gun’s gonna go the Olympics,” recalls McPhail.

He was considered a medal contender in the 50-meter prone rifle competition. He tied for eighth place in the qualifying round and went to a shoot-off for the last spot in the finals. He ultimately missed the cut by three-tenths of a point, just a hairline on his shots. Although McPhail remains disappointed about that outcome, he describes the overall Olympic experience, particularly the opening ceremony, as surreal. “I walked in on the second row right behind the flag,” he notes. “As a soldier, it was a big deal. It was a moving experience. I’d never experienced anything like that.”

“It’s unlike any other competition,” he adds. “I’ve heard people say you shouldn’t be intimidated by the Olympics because they’re just like any other competition. When I hear people say that, I have a hard time believing they’ve ever been to the Olympics. It’s a world away from other competitions.”

sharp shooting shooter Michael McPhail olympic gold summer Rio de Janeiro

He’ll get the chance to redeem himself this summer, and this time, he’s got his sights set on gold. His rigorous training involves shooting some 100 rounds a day, which fits well with his role as an instructor/shooter with the Marksmanship Unit. And McPhail credits the unit with much of his success.

“One thing the public doesn’t realize when they watch the Olympics and see one athlete competing is how many people it took to get that person there — it’s hundreds if not thousands,” he says. “Without the Marksmanship Unit, there’s no way I would have the No. 1 rank or would have made any Olympic team. Without the Army, those things are not possible.”

While it’s full steam ahead until August, McPhail will be ready for a break after Rio. He’ll likely spend more time with his wife and two young children, do some hunting with his friends, and perhaps even head back to his native Wisconsin, where he returns every couple years. But chances are he won’t rest on his laurels too long.

“I haven’t achieved my goal yet,” he explains. “I want to win at the Olympics. Until that one’s achieved, I’ll probably be here doing the same thing. And I imagine before I achieve that goal, I’ll have another one lined up.”

Read this article as it appears in the magazine.

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