Rylan Kissell

National Team

Date of birth:

05/13/2002

Hometown:

Denver, Colorado

College:

University of Alaska Fairbanks '24

Olympic Experience:

  • 2024 Paris Olympic Games: Men's Air and Smallbore Rifle

Biography:

Rylan grew up with a love for the outdoors through camping and fishing with his family and eventually shooting. He was introduced to shooting the way most children are, with a BB gun and cans in the backyard. It wasn’t until Rylan was 12 that he took up competitive shooting. He originally wanted to compete in the sport of biathlon, as he was an avid skier, but soon realized that cross country skiing was vastly different from the downhill skiing he enjoyed.

He started first with air rifle and was surprised when he found there was no recoil like the guns he grew up shooting. The more he shot, the more he fell in love with the sport and the challenges it brought along. Rylan became skilled in air rifle and smallbore rifle and accepted a scholarship to compete on the University of Alaska Fairbanks Rifle team.

Rylan saw much success as an NCAA athlete including a team national championship title in 2023 and individual air rifle championship that same year. Rylan moved to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training center in Colorado, Springs, Colorado, in 2023 to pursue his dream of making an Olympic team.

After years of dedication and hard work, Rylan qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. He will be making his Olympic debut this summer.

Competition Highlights:

  • 2024 CAT Games: Gold, Men's 10m Air Rifle Team; Gold, Mixed Team Air Rifle
  • 2024 Meyton Cup: Bronze, Men's 10m Air Rifle Day 1; Silver, Men's 10m Air Rifle Day 2
  • 2023 Pan American Games: Silver, Men's Air Rifle; Gold, Mixed Team Air Rifle
  • 2022 Winter Air Gun Championships: Bronze, JR Men's 10m Air Rifle - (Colorado Springs Location)
  • 2022 ISSF World Championships: Bronze, JR Men's Air Rifle Team
  • 2022 ISSF World Championships: Bronze, JR Mixed Team 50m Rifle 3 Position
  • 2022 ISSF World Championships: Bronze, JR Mixed Team 50m Rifle Prone
  • 2022 ISSF World Championships: Gold, JR Men's 50m Rifle 3 Position Team
  • 2022 USA Shooting Rifle National Championships: Gold, Men's Air Rifle; Gold JR Men's 50 Smallbore; Bronze, JR Men's Air Rifle
  • 2021 NCAA All American
  • 2021 Junior Pan-American Games, gold, Men's Air Rifle
  • 2021 CRCA Rifle Athlete of the Year
  • 2021 ISSF Junior World Cup: Bronze, Men's Air Rifle