BC athlete aims to stay ready for Olympics competition during postponement
Boulder City’s first female Olympian is still training despite the 2020 games being postponed.
Alexis “Lexi” Lagan recently earned a spot at the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo as part of the U.S. Shooting team. Earlier this week, the International Olympic Committee announced the games would be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020, but not later than 2021, in order to protect people against the spread of COVID-19.
“I have been assured by USA Shooting that my place is protected as far as they are concerned, but it is ultimately at the discretion of the United States Olympic Committee,” Lagan said. “If it comes to that, I feel confident in my skills if I am required to requalify.”
She also said she thinks the postponement will ultimately be a good thing because it gives her more time to train and travel even though the situation is “difficult and frustrating.”
“I think in the long run this is going to be better for me,” she said.
Lagan said the Olympic training facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is closed, but she can still train at home.
“I go through the process of taking a shot without the ammunition,” she said.
Lagan also uses a laser program to work on her shooting and a light program that allows her to do rapid-fire training at home every day. Additionally, she works out daily and talks with her coach.
“I find myself blessed to be able to train a little in my sport at home,” she added.
Lagan earned her spot on the U.S. Shooting pistol team in February. She is the top seed, followed by Sandra Uptagrafft of Phenix City, Alabama, who competed in the 2012 Olympics.
Lagan, who graduated from Boulder City High School in 2011, began shooting competitively when she was in college at the University of Utah. She fell just short of qualifying for the 2016 Olympics. After graduating, she decided to pursue shooting and moved to Colorado Springs to train.
She is the daughter of Jill and Barry Lagan of Boulder City.
Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.
