Top Shot awesome experience for “kid from Brownsville”
Competing in a nationally televised shooting contest for a chance to win a $100,000 prize package and professional shooting contract was a tremendous opportunity for Brownsville native Augie Malekovich.
The overwhelming support he received from friends, family and complete strangers made it an awesome experience.
“I really do appreciate all the support I got from Fayette County and southwestern Pennsylvania. It was truly unbelievable. I received messages from people I haven’t talked to in years and some people I didn’t even know,” Malekovich said “Obviously, I won’t get to thank all of them, but it meant a lot and made the experience greater for me.”
From a group of 16 competitors with varied firearms experience and employment backgrounds, Malekovich, a 35-year-old former Marine and Homeland Security Department agent, was among the four finalists who shot their way to the 12th and last episode of the History Channel’s Top Shot Season Four on May 1.
He was eliminated by the eventual winner but was pleased with his performance and hopes it provided an important lesson for his four kids.
“I did go there to win. I also wanted to set an example for my kids to not be afraid to take chances in life and prove how far determination in life can take you,” Malekovich said.
Family is important to Malekovich. He left his Homeland Security job to become a financial adviser, a job that allows him to spend more time with his wife and kids at their home in Belle Vernon.
Although he wasn’t named America’s next “Top Shot,” he won a $2,000 gift certificate from Bass Pro Shops for winning an elimination challenge.
He knew the outcome of the competition, which was filmed at a private ranch in California some time ago, but that didn’t dampen the enthusiastic support he received from his family, friends and fans.
“You’d think it would have ended after the filming. It was exciting for me to watch how everybody got into the show like when friends and family came over to watch the show with me,” Malekovich said. “Other people said they were watching at home with their kids and would send messages. It was unbelievable to see how much support I got not only from my friends and family, but from people I don’t even know.
“It was like they were there at the competition and shooting it with me. People were into it from day one. It’s funny, kids to grown men are asking me for my autograph. I’m just a kid from Brownsville. It’s quite an experience.”
Other surprise benefits have included being asked to teach shooting to members of the Keystone Paralyzed Veterans of America and local 4H Club students. He said he also started a side business as a shooting instructor.
“I received opportunities I didn’t expect,” Malekovich said. “It’s been great.”
The opportunity to shoot for Top Shot honors didn’t come easy. Eighteen contestants were challenged to shoot their way into the competition. After two were eliminated, the 16 who qualified were divided into two teams of eight for most of the rest of the show. After several elimination rounds, the teams were disbanded and the remaining shooters competed individually.
In the first shootout, all 18 competitors shot six-inch groups from 200 yards.
“From that point I knew everybody had skill. I knew everybody there was good at competition,” Malekovich said.
His initial assessment of the contestants led him to believe that William Bethards, a 47-year-old FBI law enforcement specialist from Virginia, would be a serious competitor.
“William, I thought would be a good competitor. He came to me and said he thought it would come down to him and me,” Malekovich said.
However, Bethards was eliminated well before the final round. The first two people eliminated were world champion pistol shooters. The winner was Chris Cheng, a 31-year-old information technology worker from San Francisco, Calif.
The background information the show provided about Cheng didn’t include his experience in three-gun competition shooting, in which a pistol, rifle and shotgun are shot for accuracy and time.
“Having a background like that is the best kind of background you can have going into competition like that. It’s a solid foundation,” Malekovich said.
Luck also was a factor because no one had experience shooting all the weapons used in the show. The weapons included an 1898 cannon, vintage military rifles from several countries, a crossbow, a grenade launcher, shotguns, muzzleloaders and a variety of pistols.
“If there is a hole in your game, your weakness is going to be exploited,” Malekovich said.
His favorite challenges included the 1,500-yard shot, the longest in the show’s history, with a sniper rifle. “That was such a highlight for the whole competition,” he said.
His second favorite was firing the 1898 cannon at a 300-yard target. “The percussion coming off that cannon was incredible. It grouped rounds at that distance. It amazed me.”
Third was firing the Browning 1919, belt-fed machine gun that was mounted in the bed of a moving authentic World War II half track, at exploding targets. “You can’t duplicate that,” he said, noting he had to start his turn over twice because the gun jammed.
Through it all, Malekovich remains a pistol aficionado. “I still love pistols.”