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Vitalina Batsarashkina won gold in the women’s shooting 10 metre air pistol competition for the Russian Olympic Committee. Yet despite this achievement, men on the internet felt the need to mansplain to her how to hold a gun.
It all began when a photo of the new Olympic champion has made its rounds on Twitter, after a user named Zoe described how she was “obsessed” with Batsarashkina’s stance.
Batsarashkina can be seen with her left hand coolly resting in her pocket as she hold a gun and takes aim with her right.
I am obsessed with the stance on this sharpshooter https://t.co/DagufxorxL— Zoe! That's Me! READ BLADE MAIDENS (@Zoe! That's Me! READ BLADE MAIDENS) 1627307173
It seems that a LOT of people agree with Zoe’s observation as her tweet has been liked nearly 400,000 times, with over 36,000 retweets.
However, male keyboard warriors disagreed and decided to mansplain to Batsarashkina how she is holding her gun wrong... it’s not like she’s at the top in her sport or anything.
@Blankzilla I bet she missed a lot of her shots. Sounds like the guy who turned his papers 10 min into the testin… https://t.co/lRUroWlHPH— Umed Saidov, CFA 🇺🇸 (@Umed Saidov, CFA 🇺🇸) 1627398227
@Blankzilla Not ideal, but it can work since the gun has light recoil and the relaxing stance can be ideal in terms… https://t.co/ALv3INbUqv— Evil Morty (@Evil Morty) 1627484204
@Blankzilla The reason why people are trying to correct her is because of not knowing context. Most people are awar… https://t.co/KeCsPUgFwi— Boy0 (@Boy0) 1627426732
@MegabitGamer @Blankzilla Could you tell me about the grip of the gun? It seems way too big for the hand and looks awkward.— Petrichor7020 (@Petrichor7020) 1627368185
As a result of the incessant mansplaining, many criticised the men for patronising Batsarashkina as they had more expertise in the sport where she is Olympic champion.
The replies on this tweet, from men saying an Olympic athlete is doing her sport wrong, are bordering on parody. So… https://t.co/dbJL1gIquo— Kelly Ellis 💉💉💉 (@Kelly Ellis 💉💉💉) 1627405674
@mortyisnotevil @Blankzilla She’s an Olympic gold medalist, so…seems like it kind of IS ideal in this context?— Kristi Coulter (@Kristi Coulter) 1627679659
@Blankzilla y’all realize she’s shooting an air pistol right https://t.co/UJqf3hNDLT— Cake (@Cake) 1627501969
@Blankzilla Gun “experts” when they explain how this air pistol has wrist-shattering recoil https://t.co/V74lXfXfCa— Vas ♞ (@Vas ♞) 1627395934
@Blankzilla I love all the people who have never accomplished much of anything telling an Olympic medal winning sha… https://t.co/rXAbttGXRV— Just Sam Is Fine (@Just Sam Is Fine) 1627747140
@Blankzilla I love all the comments critiquing the stance of an Olympic level shooter. It's very much a "tell me y… https://t.co/kheYo5S9Hi— (((Mini Marine))) (@(((Mini Marine)))) 1627519435
@Blankzilla All the replies (mansplainers?) explaining how the silver and gold Olympic medalist competitive shooter… https://t.co/uAHrhRWRkF— Matthew Parsons (@Matthew Parsons) 1627354131
the mansplaining in the replies…. do they know that she won gold? https://t.co/lztiR1jf22— elisa☆\⁷ (@elisa☆\⁷) 1627845805
Gold Medalist Vitalina Batsarashkina of Team ROC poses on the podium following the 25m Pistol Women's Finals on day seven of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Asaka Shooting Range on July 30, 2021 Getty Images
While others pointed out that it is in fact within the rules that Batsarashkina - or any sharpshooter in fact - has to shoot one-handed.
@FreeSprite935 Riiight. https://t.co/CWBUKDzVhh— ❄️ Lee Winter (@❄️ Lee Winter) 1627480758
@Blankzilla Good to see nothing's changed in 109 years https://t.co/fgROfmIID9— Quiet (@Quiet) 1627318140
@Blankzilla @webbbieone Totally common in 10m air pistol.. shooters must fire one handed without support.. https://t.co/vzCFWQL6zm— David Mitchell🏴☠️ (@David Mitchell🏴☠️) 1627412243
Some even provided an explanation as to why it is beneficial for sharpshooters to hold a gun with just one hand.
@Blankzilla When you're shooting as precisely as that, your heartbeat throws off your aim. So they stand as relaxed… https://t.co/obL3q98076— *Glomps U* Rabban (@*Glomps U* Rabban) 1627315232
@joedobner @Blankzilla When I went from shooting for fun to learning to shoot well, I trained with a police sharpsh… https://t.co/Xy9gIWh5T8— 𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒘 𝑳𝒆𝒆 𝑴𝒚𝒆𝒓𝒔 (@𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒘 𝑳𝒆𝒆 𝑴𝒚𝒆𝒓𝒔) 1627325984
@Blankzilla Bullseye shooting style The hand in pants keeps it from moving freely Gives stability to the shooter.… https://t.co/s4QfYREl9k— MbGamer (@MbGamer) 1627367781
It’s not the first time Batsarashkina has won an Olympic medal for shooting either. Back at the Rio Olympics in 2016, she won a silver medal in the same event.
During the Tokyo Games, she has also gone on to win an additional gold medal in the 25m pistol shooting event and a silver in the mixed 10m air pistol shooting event.
The first women’s shooting events were added to the Olympic programme at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics.
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