Ginny Thrasher

PortraitSports
Written By Justin Merriman

Morgantown, W.Va., August 17, 2016: Olympic gold medalist Ginny Thrasher, 19, a sophomore at West Virginia University, poses as she gets photographed by the university photographer during a photo shoot on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. Thrasher won the United State's first gold medal of the Rio Olympics, competing in the women's 10-meter air rifle event. 

Ginny Thrasher, 19, a sophomore at West Virginia University, stands outside of her apartment as she is filmed by the university on her first day of classes on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. Thrasher won the United State's first gold medal of the Rio Olympics, competing in the women's 10-meter air rifle event.

Ginny rides on a bus as she goes to classes on her first day of instruction for the fall semester at WVU on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016.

Ginny listens to her calculus professor, Dr. Galyna Voitiuk, on her first day of instruction for the fall semester at WVU on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016.

Ginny receives a round of applause from classmates in her General Physics class on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

Ginny meets with her academic advisor, Toni Key Oliverio, on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. They decorated her box with messages of congratulations.

A page from 2015-2016 WVU Rifle Media Guide features a page with now, Olympic gold medalist, Ginny Thrasher at West Virginia University. 

Ginny listens to her physics professor speak on her first day of classes in the fall semester on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

Ginny walks with Maddy Gardner, 20, a junior, left, on her first day of instruction for the fall semester at WVU on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

Ginny sits in an Intro to Electrical Engineering class on her first day of instruction for the fall semester at WVU on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016.

Ginny at West Virginia University, picks up her books from Sandy Cole-DeMent on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016.

Ginny talks to Aishwarya Vijay, 18, left, and Skyler Roth, 19, right, in an Intro to Electrical Engineering class on her first day of instruction for the fall semester at WVU on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

Ginny Thrasher's gold medal sits on an U.S. flag during a photoshoot on the campus on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

Ginny poses as she gets photographed by the university photographer during a photoshoot on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

Range records hang inside of the rifle range at West Virginia University on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

Ginny gets photographed by the media during a press conference at the campus on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

Ginny talks on her phone for a radio interview on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

Ginny gets interviewed by MetroNews Radio Network's Tony Caridi, left, and Greg Hunter, right, in Morgantown on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

A sign congratulating West Virginia University sophomore Ginny Thrasher, 19, who won the United State's first gold medal of the Rio Olympics, competing in the women's 10-meter air rifle event. Thrasher is the first female from the university to win a gold medal in the Olympics. 

Ginny poses for photographs with the university's photographer on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

I followed Olympic gold medalist Ginny Thrasher, 19, a sophomore at West Virginia University, for ESPN on her first day back to school after winning the United State's first gold medal of the Rio Olympics, competing in the women's 10-meter air rifle event. You can read about her day at ESPN.com.

Justin Merriman

Justin Merriman, a freelance photojournalist based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has traveled the world to cover politics, wars, natural disasters, civil unrest as well as covering assignment throughout the United States. His work has appeared in leading national publications and he has received multiple top journalism awards.   

After covering the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks – including the crash of United Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania – Merriman committed to chronicling the U.S. military and its war on terror.  He has followed this story across the United States and into the conflict zones of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He also has covered life in Fidel Castro’s Cuba in 2002, India’s efforts to eradicate polio from its population, the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Cuba in 2012, the 2013 conclave and election of Pope Francis in Rome, the second anniversary of Egypt’s revolution and subsequent unrest, Russia’s invasion of Crimea and the international political crisis that unfolded in Ukraine in 2014, a look inside of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in 2015 and its uncertain future, and most recently, traveled the entire U.S. border with Mexico documenting issues on immigration. 

Merriman’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, the Atlantic, Time, USA Today, Sports Illustrated and other publications across the globe. 

He has been recognized with numerous regional, national and international awards from organizations including Pictures of the Year International, Society of Professional Journalists, the National Press Photographers Association, the Society for News Design, the Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar, the Northern Short Course, the Southern Short Course, the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, the Military Reporters and Editors Association, and the Western Pennsylvania Press Club. He was awarded Photographer of the Year by the News Photographer Association of Greater Pittsburgh four times and most recently was honored with the Keystone Press Award’s 2016 Distinguished Visual Award from the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association.

Born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Merriman graduated from the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Writing. In 2009, the university awarded him its prestigious Alumnus of Distinction award. 

Currently Merriman lives in Oakmont with his fiancé, Stephanie Strasburg, a photojournalist with PublicSource. 

http://www.justinmerriman.com
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