Olympic shooter Glenn Eller on how Army gives him extra edge

Sgt. 1st Class Glenn Eller has only improved with age.

While many Olympic athletes peak in their 20s, the 34-year-old shooter has not only the advantage of training with the U.S. Army but also the experience of competing in four Olympic Games — winning the 2008 men’s double trap gold medal in Beijing — in the back of his mind as he prepares for his fifth this summer in Rio de Janeiro.

“What’s great about shooting is the older we get, the more experience we have and our bodies don’t break down as quickly (compared with other athletes),” Eller said. “So what we might lose a tiny bit in reflexes or something like that, we more than make up for in experience. I’ve been able to stay at the top of the game for the last 15 years.”

Double trap is a shotgun event where athletes attempt to break clay disks pitched into the air.

Eller, a Houston-area native now in Fort Benning, Ga., has won a gold medal in double trap at every major international competition, including World Cups and world championships. Last month, he won the bronze medal in double trap at the International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun in Rio.

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