In this article, posted at the NRA’s “Shooting Sports USA,” Vera Koo explains why it became time to retire from shooting sports. In fact, she pinpoints the exact moment she decided that her days of running race guns needed to end.

在我整个运动射击生涯里，我一切都力求精准。我的练习、受训方式精准；比赛前几周，我的饮食精准毫不马虎；为比赛准备用枪与装备的方式，我也不含糊、精准到家。因此，我想我精准决定退出运动射击比赛的时刻，应该不是巧合。

五月二十三日晚上八点二十三分，在《比安奇杯》首日比赛过后，我在密苏里州哥伦比亚市的旅馆房间里，边吃晚餐，边看一部叫《留言蜚语》（Tale of Tales）的电影。电影结束后，我把左手放在右臂上，感觉到不对劲儿。

我感觉手臂没力气、缺乏肌肉；我突然意识我的身体不再听我指挥、为我效力；那一刻，我决定是退休的时候了。

我还没有告诉任何人。又过了两天，我赛完《比安奇杯》，它成了我道别职涯的最后一场比赛。想到《比安奇杯》教会了我多少事，此时此地结束射击生涯，应该是合适无比。

即使参加《比安奇杯》比赛已二十一年个年头，这里仍有让我吃惊的地方；毕竟，我到哥伦比亚市比赛时退休念头不在脑际盘旋。

即使参加《比安奇杯》比赛已二十一年个年头，这里仍有让我吃惊的地方；毕竟，我到哥伦比亚市比赛时，脑际里并无退休念头。 World Action Pistol Championship 

 were being held in succession in Columbia, allowing me two days of rest between the major competitions. While it marked my ninth appearance in the WAPC, this year was unique in that the events were held in back-to-back fashion.

At 71 years old, I knew competing in two high-pressure matches in such a short time would test my physical and mental endurance and push me to my limit. I prayed for decent scores.

That did not happen.

I shot poorly in the world match. Nonetheless, my partner, Jessie Harrison, and I placed third in the Women’s division, thanks to Jessie’s fine shooting. I followed that with a mediocre showing at the Bianchi Cup.

Rather than becoming frustrated by my scores, I am grateful God led me down this path. Had I performed better, I probably would have felt compelled to push on for another year or two.

Instead, I walk away knowing that the time is right. I am at peace with my decision.

After I finished the competition, I found my friend Cathy Ergovich, who owns a custom-molded ear plug business called “What-Ya-Say,” and told her that this was my final match.

Word traveled fast.

I am normally not one for a lot of socializing around matches. I never take pictures. But this was different. This was my final Bianchi Cup.

Read the full article at “Shooting Sports USA.”