Shooter Alessandra Perilli, representing the European microstate of San Marino, won an Olympic medal for shooting Thursday, making it the smallest country in history to do so, CNN reported.
“What a day to be Sammarinese,” a fan account for the country tweeted.
San Marino has become the smallest country to win a medal in the history of the #Olympics. What a day to be Sammarinese. Grazie Alessandra.
— San Marino fan account (@SanMarino_FA) July 29, 2021
Perilli won a bronze medal in women’s trap at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, as one of five Sammarinese athletes competing in the Games, CNN reported. San Marino is a landlocked country, surrounded by Italy with a population of 34,000.
“This is the first medal for me and for my country,” she said after the medal ceremony, Reuters reported. “We are a small country but very proud.”
Perilli last set a record for her country in 2012 at the London Olympics, where she finished fourth in trap, CNN reported. Before her, the best Olympic result for a Sammarinese athlete was in 1984 at the Los Angeles Games when Franceso Nanni finished fifth in the 50m rifle prone.
“During the final, when the fifth shooter went out, I thought, I don’t want to be one more time in fourth place, so I have to make it,” said Perilli, Reuters reported.
Perilli will compete alongside another Sammarinese shooter, Gian Marco Bettini at the mixed team trap event on Saturday, CNN reported. The three other athletes on the team include wrestler Myles Nazem Amine, judoka Paolo Persoglia and swimmer Arianna Vallone.
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