What were you doing when you were 13 years old?  For this youth from California, 2010 has shaped up to be an epic year.  In June, Maneva Gill won the  California Junior Olympics.  Her first national match came a few weeks later in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the NRA National Junior Air Gun Championship.  In an email update sent to Crosman, her mother, Lori, described Maneva’s experience at the NRA event, “(She) struggled with the pressure fo being at such a big match. There were 85 shooters on the line!”  Her parents, coaches and friends had her very well prepared;  Maneva took 2nd place in her age group and finished 11th overall among 77 shooters.

While summer was just getting into full swing, Maneva had a second national competition in her sights: the National Three-Position Air Rifle Junior Olympics in Anniston, Alabama. What jitters she may have had heading into the event quickly dissipated as Maneva took First Place and a gold medal in her division.  She put a solid stamp on her performance by shooting more 10x’s than any other competitor with 43 of a posibble 60.

In a post-event interview with her local newspaper, Maneva’s parents stated her interest in shooting started as early as four years old.  With the proper supervision (and an emphasis on safety), along with tremendous support from her shooting community, Maneva has developed into a shooter that some say may be a future U.S. Olympic competitor.

Wherever the sport takes her, Crosman will be there.  Our Challenger PCP features a Lothar Walther precision barrel and a two-stage, match-grade trigger and has been showing up on medal stands since its introduction in 2009.  If you’re serious about three-position Sporter Class shooting, take a look a what everyone is talking about.

Congratulations to Maneva on her wins and thanks for shooting the Crosman Challenger.   Check out more photos of Maneva Gill after the jump. (more…)