A Moment of Pure Surprise – Emil Öien Wins the Rifle Draw

Emil Öien, winner of the rifle from Walther and Karl Olsson Shooting sports

Sometimes, the biggest moments at a competition happen when you least expect them.

For 21-year-old Emil Öien, the rifle draw at the Swedish Cup turned into exactly that kind of moment. Just before the draw was about to take place, Emil was actually on his way out to the car. By sheer luck, he was stopped by his father, who told him about the raffle and pointed out that leaving would mean missing the chance altogether. Emil decided to stay — just to see what might happen.

What happened was something he is still struggling to fully take in.

When his name was called as the winner of a brand-new Walther air rifle, the surprise was complete. Emil describes the moment as a shock, and even afterwards the feeling hasn’t quite settled. Winning such a prize at a competition like the Swedish Cup was completely unexpected — and incredibly meaningful.

The timing could hardly have been better. Emil had been planning to invest in a new air rifle himself, but with a recent apartment purchase, that plan had been put on hold. The draw suddenly changed everything.

Emil is a long-time member of Göteborgs Skyttesportförening, where he has been active for around twelve years. His shooting background is broad and varied, including air rifle, air pistol, shotgun and running target. He first picked up the air rifle at the age of nine, and a few years later was introduced to hunting disciplines through shooters at his club. From there, both running target and shotgun became natural parts of his shooting life.

The new Walther LG500 ltec is expected to make a real difference going forward. During the winter season, Emil already trains with air rifle and air pistol, but with this rifle he plans to put an even stronger focus on air rifle training. In the summer months, his attention traditionally shifts more toward shotgun and running target, but the added winter training is something he believes will strengthen his overall shooting performance.

Winning the rifle has not only provided Emil with world-class equipment — it has also given him renewed motivation and new opportunities to develop further as a shooter.

About the Walther LG500 ltec Air Rifle

The LG500 ltec is Walther’s top model in the LG500 series — a world-class air rifle offering an exceptional level of precision and a wide range of adjustment options. Designed for elite performance, the rifle is used by national team shooters around the world and represents the very highest standard in modern air rifle technology.