Amber Rutter held her nerve to win a silver medal in the Olympic women’s skeet shooting final in Châteauroux, a little more than three months after giving birth. Rutter was surprised by her husband James and baby son Tommy after the dramatic final showdown, in which the 26-year-old was edged out by Francisca Crovetto of Chile.
The final moments of the showdown were not without controversy as Rutter appeared to strongly argue that her crucial miss had in fact clipped the side of the clay. Nevertheless, Rutter showed evident delight at clinching a medal that capped a remarkable career resurgence after she missed out on a place at the Tokyo Olympics due to a positive Covid test.
Rutter had blazed through qualifying in joint first place but ranked second after a qualifying shoot off behind American Austen Smith. With just one miss from her first 20, Rutter reached the first elimination stage in first place, with Slovakian Danka Bartekova the first to fall by the wayside.
Rutter missed one of the next 10, placing her second behind Crovetto and remained in a strong position when the field was reduced to four by the removal of Emmanouela Katzouraki of Greece. Another miss in the next set did not matter for Rutter, with another Slovakian, Vanesa Hockova missing two out of four, leaving Rutter punching the air with delight after guaranteeing a medal.
Smith was next to go, and two late misses by Crovetto lifted Rutter into the sudden death shoot-off, in which she was narrowly denied.
Controversial Shoot-Off Decision
A furious Amber Rutter fumed at an apparent injustice in the final of the women’s skeet after she missed out on a gold medal due to a controversial shoot-off call.
Rutter, who was competing in Paris just three months after giving birth, had to settle for silver as she lost out to Chile’s Francisca Crovetto Chadid.
Rutter was looking to make up for the disappointment of Tokyo 2020, where she was forced to withdraw before her event after testing positive for Covid-19.
The 26-year-old guaranteed herself an Olympic medal this time when she secured a place in the final three of the six-woman shootout before seeing off Austen Smith of the United States to progress to a gold-medal battle with Crovetto Chadid.
The pair were tied on 55 hits each from their 60 shots, so went to a shoot-off. Both shooters then missed efforts in their second turns before Rutter missed another in her third.
But the Briton immediately appealed in the belief she had hit the target, and TV replays showed that a shard of the clay had fragmented to indicate it was a successful shot.
However, the rules do not allow the two referees to use TV video replays for any appeal, resulting in the shot being ruled a miss before the Chilean stepped up and hit her two targets to claim gold.
Rutter continued to protest after the final shots had been fired, and was clearly unhappy with the call as the three medallists posed together for pictures, with a lengthy debate going on between the Briton and Crovetto Chadid.
Social Media Outrage
One wrote: 'Surely Amber Rutter has been absolutely robbed there? That's so wrong. How can we all see in a replay a few seconds later that she's hit the target, yet they don't give her the point.'
Another added: 'That is so grossly unfair for Amber Jo Rutter. She hit them both. She loses out on a gold medal thanks to incompetent judging.'
A third fan agreed: 'Amber Rutter cheated out of a gold medal. How on earth is there not a VAR equivalent at the Olympics? The biggest sporting event in the world? Unbelievable'
Fans expressed their frustration on social media after Rutter was forced to settle for silver
A Remarkable Resurgence
Rutter became the first Briton to win a skeet medal at the Olympics just four months after giving birth to her first child. After taking sixth in her debut at the Olympics in 2016, Rutter missed out on Tokyo three years ago after testing positive for Covid.
Despite the disappointment of missing out on Tokyo and the heartbreak of the controversial shoot-off decision in Paris, Rutter's silver medal is a testament to her resilience and determination. It's a reminder that setbacks are inevitable in any sporting journey, but the ability to overcome them defines true champions.
Rutter's performance has inspired fans and fellow athletes alike, showcasing the incredible power of human spirit in the face of adversity. Her story is a powerful reminder that even when faced with challenges, we can find strength in our passions and emerge stronger than ever before.
