![]() Notes on the editing process, provided by the author, indicate the Pentagon or Navy's review of the text likely prevented such specifics from making the final version.ĭetermined to find out "who was Mustafa" I started searching the usual places including IMDB, the film's official site (in search of an online press kit) and reviews of the film. Nothing. The result: Not a single reference to any one specific target taken out by Chris Kyle. Still in search of answers, tonight I trekked to a bookstore and planted myself in a chair to read the entire bestselling book " American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. ![]() So it seemed a stretch this guy joined Iraqi or other forces post-Games. His online bio states he was in his 40s - and Syria's oldest Sydney entrant in any sport - during the post-9/11 decade portrayed in the book and movie. However, Mahfoud placed 53rd out of 53 athletes in the target shooting events, hardly the result painted by the filmmakers. But since this National Olympic Committee joined the Olympic Family in 1948, only one seemed age- and skill-appropriate for the film's early 2000s timing.Ĭarberry explained an athlete named Mohamed Mahfoud competed at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games as a rifle shooter. Though my CV includes "lifetime member of the International Society of Olympic Historians (ISOH)" this status includes very little knowledge of Olympic shooting records.īut I was pretty sure the total number of Olympic shooting medalists from Syria was a "ZERO" bigger than the bull's eye on a Games target.Įmerging from the theatre, I checked the International Olympic Committee records and though there are three all-time Olympic medalists from Syria, none are Olympic shooters.įellow ISOH member Brian Carberry later did some quick research and found that there are a handful of Olympic shooting entrants from Syrian Arab Republic. forces in a Houdini-like departure.ĭuring his urgent flight from home, the camera pauses briefly on a framed photograph with three flag-draped athletes on a victory stand presented like an Olympic medal podium and, you guessed it, the magical Mister Mustafa-lese posed on the top tier as though at attention for his national anthem. Then later in the film, as Kyle's team seemed to close in on the supposed Olympian at his clandestine residence, the Syrian athlete-turned-militant sharpshooter was portrayed as quickly loading rifles or packing other gear before barely escaping the U.S. Much to my surprise, not long after Chris Kyle - the Navy SEAL portrayed by Bradley Cooper - reached the Middle East, the audience learned about a trained enemy sniper named "Mustafa" (played by Sammy Sheik) described as a skilled marksman who was once an Olympic shooter for Syria.Įyebrows raised. Igor Reizlin of Ukraine won the bronze with a 15-12 victory over Andrea Santarelli of Italy.When I embarked to view the new Clint Eastwood film " American Sniper" - which is excellent - there was no expectation of an Olympic connection. He returned to France in 2016 to boost his chances of qualifying for the 2020 Olympics. The 24-year-old Cannone was born in France but grew up in the United States and attended Sacred Heart (Fairfield, Connecticut). Romain Cannone won France's first gold medal of the Tokyo Games moments later, beating Gergely Siklosi of Hungary 15-10 in the men's epee final.Ĭannone led 14-9 after two periods in the first-to-15 match and ended it quickly in the third. Larisa Korobeynikova of the Russian Olympic Committee team beat Alice Volpi of Italy 15-14 in the bronze match. ![]() "I wish I could chop it up in little pieces and distributed it to everyone I love.'' "It's such an incredible feeling that I share with my coach, I share with my husband, with my family, just everyone that's been a part of this," she said, her gold medal hanging from her neck. ![]() Lee Kiefer won the third gold medal in the United States' fencing history by beating defending champion Inna Deriglazova in the women's foil final. Her husband, Gerek Meinhardt, won bronze with the U.S. Kiefer ripped off her mask after the final point and shouted "Oh my God!'' She placed fifth at the 2012 London Games and was 10th at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.Ī four-time NCAA champion at Notre Dame, Kiefer is now a medical student at the University of Kentucky. Mariel Zagunis is the only other U.S fencer to earn gold, winning the saber events at the 20 Games. TOKYO - Lee Kiefer won the third gold medal for the United States at the Tokyo Olympics and the third fencing gold in the country's history by beating defending champion Inna Deriglazova of the Russian Olympic Committee team 15-13 in the women's foil final. ![]()
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