FORT BENNING, Ga. (WRBL) – Inside of the Pool Complex on Fort Benning, you’ll find Specialist Alison Weisz training for her opportunity to represent Team USA in the Tokyo Olympics this summer in the 10 meter Air Rifle competition. Specialist Weisz clinched her spot during Olympic Trials in February of 2020. But since then, it’s been a whirlwind journey navigating training and the pandemic.

I mean, when it first got flipped upside down, it was a huge worry that we weren’t going to have the games at all. So stressful. Then it was relieving because we found out that we were going to have the games, they were just going to be postponed.

Specialist Alison Weisz

That break allowed her to pursue another goal of hers, serving our country in the Army.

I had the opportunity that a lot of athletes in my sport do not get. Because when you join the military, you have to take time off from competing. But for me, I didn’t have to take time off from competing at all, because there were no matches or anything going on. So it was just a huge opportunity that I had to capitalize on. And I always knew I wanted to join the Army, it was just a matter of when.

Specialist Alison Weisz

Now with the Army Marksmanship team, Specialist Weisz is working with some of the best shooters and coaches in the world.

The support is completely different here. To watch our support go from just my teammates on the line, up to my coaches, up to our Battalion Commander, all the way to our Brigade Commander and knowing that they are behind us 100 percent, there’s nothing like it in the country.

Specialist Alison Weisz

Weisz now has her sights set on Tokyo, and aims to bring back some hardware.

It’s a huge honor to be able to represent the country, walking across the stage, shooting on the firing line and hopefully standing on the podium.

Specialist Alison Weisz