Matthew Emmons

• 2008 Olympic Games Silver Medalist in Rifle Prone 
• 2008 Beijing World Cup (Olympic Test Event) silver medalist (air rifle)
• 2007 USA Shooting Male Athlete of the Year
• 2007 World Cup Final Gold Medalist (3 position)
• 2007 World Cup Final Silver Medalist (prone)
• 2007 October U.S. Olympic Committee Male Athlete of the Month
• 2007 World Cup USA Gold Medalist (prone)
• 2007 World Cup USA Silver Medalist (air)
• 2007 World Cup Munich Silver Medalist (prone)
• 2007 World Cup Munich Silver Medalist (3 position)
• 2007 World Cup Bangkok Silver Medalist (3 position)
• 2007 World Cup Sydney Bronze Medalist (3 position)
• 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist (prone)
• 2004 U.S. Olympic Team, eighth (3 position), ninth (air)
• 2006 World Champions, 50m Prone Team
• 2004 World Cup Final, gold (3 position), bronze (air)
• Four-time NCAA Rifle Championship National Champion with University of Alaska, Fairbanks, 2000-2004

Matt Emmons brought home the gold from the Athens Olympic Games in the men's prone event, but narrowly missed the mark in both three-position and air rifle. After taking time off for education, he is back in the saddle and ready for Beijing. Emmons is looking to defend his Olympic title and reach for the two medals that eluded him in 2004.

Matt first began to shoot competitively in high school after Federal Bureau of Investigations firearms instructor Paul Adamowski invited him to give the sport a try. He quickly became passionate about shooting and learned that it would be an excellent way to earn scholarships for college.

While he tried his hand all three Olympic disciplines, it was rifle that kept his attention. In 1997, after a little over a year of shooting, one of Matt's friends talked his father into allowing him to compete in an international shooting event. It was there that he was able to rise above the field and catch the eye of USA Shooting by winning both the prone and 3X40 events. Just one short year later when Matt, only 17 years old, won the prone competition at the National Championships and was named to the National Rifle Team.

Today, Matt is an Olympic champion focused not only on bettering his performance in the next Olympiad, but on living his life to the fullest. When he has time to visit Alaska, Matt enjoys camping, hiking, fishing and cross country skiing.

Matt married Katerina (Katy) Kurkova in Pilsen, Czech Republic on June 30, 2007. Katy and Matt first met at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Katy is a 2004 Olympic Bronze Medalist as well as a 2002 World Champion. Matt has already qualified for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team in two events and Katy is also a top prospect to make the 2008 Team for the Czech Republic. They both live and train at the Colorado Springs, Colo. Olympic Training Center.

A graduate of the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Matt says that he wants to make the state his home following his Olympic career. "It has a small town feel, and the people from the area are so supportive. I just love it there."

Matt owns an electric guitar. He purchased a book to teach himself how to play in 2005, and says that he has gradually improved while practicing in the athlete dorms.

This rifleman is not just about shooting around the range. Matt once pitched a perfect game for his high school baseball team in Pemberton, N.J.

Matt also holds a degree in management and finance from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.