Of course it had to end like this. The teacher and the student, facing off for Olympic gold.
Three-time gold medalist Vincent Hancock, and Conner Lynn Prince, a first-time Olympian that Hancock has coached, went head-to-head for the gold medal.
In the end, the 35-year-old Hancock held off the 24-year-old Prince to win his fourth gold medal. In the process, he made some history: He becomes just the sixth Olympian to win four gold medals in a single individual event.
Prince and Hancock entered the final 10 targets tied at 48. Then they each hit their next six shots. But on the final four, Prince faltered, missing one -- and Hancock capitalized.
Hancock hit his last four targets to clinch his fourth Olympic gold medal with 58 points. Prince won the silver with 57 points.
Afterwards, the two embraced.
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Hancock and Prince started working together in 2018, shortly before Prince first made the USA Shooting Team. They both train at the same shooting range in Texas.
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Hancock joins Paul Elvstrom, Michael Phelps, Carl Lewis, Mijain Lopez and Al Oerter as athletes who have won four gold medals in a single individual event at the Olympics. Katie Ledecky will try to join that group when she swims in the 800m final Saturday afternoon.
Hancock won Olympic gold in Beijing, London and Tokyo. He is the only skeet shooter to ever win back-to-back Olympic golds -- and he's now done it twice.
Chinese Taipei's Lee Meng Yuan finished with 45 points to win the bronze.
