Guys explain how gold medal-winning sharpshooter is holding her gun wrong, because why not

Editor's note: This article was originally published on August 5, 2021. It has since been updated.

When Vitalina Batsarashkina, an Olympian Russian air pistol sharpshooter, adopted what appeared to be a unique stance during a shooting event, men couldn't resist but weigh in with their opinion. Yes, you heard that right. Mediocre men sitting at home mansplained an Olympian sharpshooter how to hold a gun. Athletes prepare for the Olympics all their lives and Batsarashkina, like many other athletes, zeroed in on the most optimum pose and style while shooting to exact the best out of her game but, no, men have to step in and tell her what to do. If the men hadn't already embarrassed themselves by inserting themselves into a conversation about her stance, Batsarashkina went on to win two gold medals during the Tokyo games for the 25-meter pistol and the 10-meter pistol events. She also clinched silver along with Artem Chernousov for the 10-meter mixed team event.

Even after learning Batsarashkina secured three medals including two golds to prove them wrong, they doubled down on their argument with such passion, you'd wonder if their lives depended on it. Such is the confidence of mediocre men. It was earlier this week that the image of Batsarashkina striking a casual stance with one hand in her pocket and the other holding the gun during a shooting event emerged.

The image made its round on the internet because the athlete looked so cool and composed while obviously dealing with a pressured situation. Many wished they could be as cool in their daily lives or had that kind of confidence. However, the original image was actually from the 2016 Rio Olympics. Batsarashkina didn't change her stance for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics either when she won those medals. The stance is actually pretty common among athletes as they must fire one-handed. The other athletes were also seen adopting a similar stance.

One of the common arguments that men put forth was that she would break her wrist from the recoil. Surely, they would be bright enough to know that Batsarashkina didn't travel all the way to Tokyo to participate in the shooting events at the Olympics without ever holding a gun before, or firing one. Not to mention that athletes were not using normal guns but air pistols, which significantly reduced recoil. Surely, those who claim to be experts on handling guns should already know that.

Comic Sands reported that one Twitter user, who has since deleted their account, wrote, "That will have huge recoil, there's a reason why people tell you to hold the gun with both hands." The tweet went viral, causing them to delete the tweet, and then their account. This was just one of many examples of many men telling the gold medalist she was holding the gun wrong.

Former talk show host Piers Morgan is one that loves to wade into a potential controversy and muddy the waters with his comments. The internet turned on Morgan after he accused Simone Biles of not being tough enough after she backed out of a few events citing mental health concerns, and primarily "twisties", a mental state where your muscle memory fails you when you're in the air mid-twist. It's a condition that gymnasts dread. As we reported, gymnasts lose their bearings, often causing dangerous landings or falls, resulting in serious injuries. But, of course, Piers Morgan, a middle-aged man who's never tried gymnastics, would label Biles "weak". This, from a man who actually walked out of a studio when he was called out by his own colleagues for targeting Meghan Markle viciously.