Michel Dunia (1938– ) is a California-native, who has built an impressive 50-year career as a long-range marksman. He began his career at Stanford University, where he was captain of the rifle team and part of their ROTC program. After college, Dunia served in the U.S. Army Marksmanship unit at Ft. Benning, like fellow OC Hall of Famer Gary Anderson. He was awarded the Army’s Distinguished Rifleman badge and qualified to wear the President’s Hundred Tab.
After the Army, Dunia moved to San Francisco for work, where he was recruited to join The Olympic Club. With the guidance and training from his fellow OC members, including Clint Dahlstrom and Larry Wilkins, he has been a star for the rifle team ever since.
Among his many awards and accolades, there are several standout performances. In 1992, he took sixth place in a field of 400+ marksman from around the world in the first official World Championship of long-range shooting. In 1995, he took third in the individual 800m event at the World Long Range Championships, and was a member of the 16-person U.S. team that finished second in the team competition.
In 2002, Dunia became the first American in 116 years to capture the distinguished British Columbia Target Rifle Championship. He won a pressure-packed shootout — five shots at 600 meters — to break a three-way tie for first. When he won, his teammates and competitors carried him across the field in the winner’s chair.
In 2003, he won California’s Palma Rifle Championship, in which competitors shoot, without using a scope, at 800, 900 and 1,000 yards. At the 2003 World Championships in England, after three days of difficult rain and wind, he took home three individual medals and placed sixth overall out of 450 shooters (the second highest American). Finally, he won the California state individual long range championship and was awarded the “Distinguished Rifleman” badge. A banner year!
He continues to compete for the Club throughout the world. But his contri¬butions to Olympia go beyond personal achievement. He served nine years as Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner of Rifle, and mentors his fellow members, imparting advice that comes from 50+ years of marksmanship competition and training.
