Patricia's Story
Pattie Dench is remembered as “the pistol-packing mama”, a 52-year-old mother of four who used a cool head, big heart and nerves of steel to win Australia’s first ever medal in an Olympic pistol shooting event. Dench scored an impressive 583 out of a possible 600, then had to win a shoot-off with a tied competitor to claim her bronze medal. Her age, background and personality quickly fired her to overnight fame as she became one of Australia’s most popular medal winners in Los Angeles. Dench was equally adept with an air pistol, winning a world championship medal in that event.