Lones Wigger facts for kids

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Lones Wigger Jr.

Wigger in 1964
Personal information
Full name	Lones Wesley Wigger Jr.
Nationality	American
Born	(1937-08-25)August 25, 1937 Great Falls, Montana, U.S.
Died	December 14, 2017(2017-12-14) (aged 80) Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.
Height	170 cm
Weight	82 kg
Sport
Sport	Sports shooting
Event(s)	Rifle
Club	US Army
Medal record Representing  United States Olympic Games Gold 1964 Tokyo 50 m 3 positions Gold 1972 Munich 300 m free rifle Silver 1964 Tokyo 50 m rifle prone Pan American Games Gold 1963 São Paulo 50 m prone, team Silver 1963 São Paulo 50 m prone, ind. Silver 1971 Cali 50 m prone, 3 pos. Silver 1975 Mexico City 50 m prone, 3 pos. Gold 1979 San Juan 50 m prone, 3 pos Gold 1979 San Juan 50 m prone, ind. Gold 1979 San Juan 50 m prone, team Gold 1983 Caracas 50 m prone, 3 pos. Gold 1983 Caracas 50 m prone, team Gold 1983 Caracas 50 m prone, HP 3 pos. Gold 1983 Caracas 50 m prone, HP 3 pos. team Silver 1983 Caracas 50 m prone, ind. Silver 1983 Caracas 50 m prone, high-P

Lones Wesley Wigger Jr. (born August 25, 1937, in Great Falls, Montana – died December 14, 2017, in Colorado Springs, Colorado) was an amazing American sports shooter. He is often thought of as one of the best rifle shooters ever from the United States. Lones Wigger was part of the U.S. Olympic team four times. He won two Olympic Gold Medals and one Silver Medal. He also served in the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel.

A Champion Shooter's Career

Lones Wigger was incredibly successful in sports shooting. He was on every U.S. Olympic Shooting Team from 1968 to 1980. He held or shared 27 world records, with 14 team records and 13 individual records.

He won 58 National Championships, starting in 1963. Lones Wigger was part of 16 major U.S. international teams. His first big event was the 1963 Pan-American Games.

Major Achievements

Lones Wigger's record includes:

• 22 World Championships (2 individual, 20 team)
• 7 Pan-American titles
• 18 wins in the Championship of the Americas meet
• 16 wins in the Council Internationale Sport du Militaire meet

Across these events and the Olympics, he won a total of 108 medals!

Olympic Success

Lones Wigger competed in the Olympics in 1964, 1968, 1972, and 1980.

• In the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, he won a gold medal in the three-position small-bore rifle event. He also earned a silver medal in the small-bore rifle, prone position.
• In 1972 Munich, he won another gold medal in the free rifle, three-position event.

He was a member of the United States Army Marksmanship Unit. He represented the United States in international matches for 20 years. In June 2008, he was honored by being inducted into the Olympic Hall of Fame.

A Family of Shooters

Lones Wigger's love for shooting ran in his family.

• His daughter, Deena Wigger, was also an Olympic athlete. She was on the 1988 Olympic air rifle team.
• His son, Ron, was the head rifle coach for the West Point rifle team for 14 seasons. Under his coaching, the team reached the championships nine times. They won the title in 2005, earned bronze in 2006, and silver in the two years after that.
• His other son, Danny, is also a very skilled smallbore rifle prone shooter.

Deena and Lones Wigger

Later Life

Lones Wigger passed away on December 14, 2017, at his home in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was 80 years old.