09.11.2013

OLYMPIC CHAMP YI WON WORLD CUP FINAL'S 10M AIR RIFLE EVENT, IN SPITE OF AN INJURED ANKLE

The 2013 ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup Final continued today with the 10m Air Rifle Women event, won by the Olympic Champion and reigning World Champions Yi Siling, 24, who finished atop of the podium beating Serbia's Ivana Maksimovic.

The 2012 Olympic Champion Yi Siling of China did not leave many chances to her opponents, at today's 10m Air Rifle Women event. The 24-year old sharpshooter won today's medal match with over one point of advantage on her followers, proving once again to be the best of the world in this event.

Yi moved atop of the scoreboard since the first series, and enlarged her lead after every shot, shooting an impressive average. So, in spite of a last shot of 9.8 points, Yi finished in first with a 1.1 margin on Serbia's Ivana Maksimovic, with a total score of 210.3 points.

Even more impressive, she did it in spite of an injured ankle, that forced her to change her standing position.

“It has been really really hard to win today's medal. This has been a long season, and I injured my ankle in a minoraccident at the Asian Games, just ten days ago. I had to change a bit my position and adapt my shooting style, to compete here, but luckily everything worked fine!” Yi said after the final.

At the age of 24, the Chinese shooter has already pocketed everything to be won in this event. In five years, she has indeed achieved an Asian Games title (2010), an Asian Championship Gold medal (2012), an ISSF World Championship title in 2010, and was finally crowned Olympic Champion in 2012. Shooting in five consecutive ISSF World Cup Series since 2009, she secured some 9 medals, and two tiles (2011 and 2013, today).

“I started shooting when I was 15-year old, through the sport program of my high school.” Yi said.

“Sometimes being a pro shooter is a bit hard: you get to travel a lot, and you can't spend as much time with your family as you would like to. But on the other hand, it feels great. This life fits to me. Competing, and winning, gives me great vibrations. I love shooting sport!”

“I am spending most of my time training, but I also swim and run: I like fitness. In fact, I am really looking forward to compete in an ISSF Target Sprint event, that sounds great!” Yi said, speaking about the new ISSF Sport For All event launched this year, which combines air rifle shooting with mid-distance running. “I will give it a try, next year!”

Joining Yi Siling on the podium, London Olympic Games medallist Ivana Maksimovic (SRB) secured the Silver medal with a score of 209.2 points, after pushing the second Chinese finalist Wu Liuxi in third place, with a score of 187.9 points.

Probably the world's most consistent 10m Air Rifle Women shooter, Germany's Sonja Pfeilschifter, shooting on her home turf here in Munich, did not make it to the podium. Since the first shots of the medal match, she fought neck and neck with Yi, Maksimovic and Wu, but had to give up at the 16th shot, when she left the match taking the 4^th place with 165.9 points.

The first athlete to leave the elimination-style final, after the 8th shot, turned out to be Italy's Petra Zublasing, who fired a disappointing 9.8-point 7th shot, and dropped out of the competition placing in 8th with an overall score of 80.4 points. Silvia Rachel of Germany followed her right after. The 27-year old athlete started off with the highest series at the beginning of the final match, gaining a few tenths of advantage on her followers, but three shots in the ninth ring pushed her down in the scoreboard, where she eventually landed in seventh place with a score of 102.0 points.

One of the most successful shooters of this year's ISSF World Cup Series, Serbia's Andrea Arsovic, placed in 6th with 122.7 points. She had to leave space to Chang Jing, the third Chinese finalist, who placed in fifth with 144.5 points, after the 14th shot.

Marco Dalla Dea