08.11.2013
CHINA'S ZHANG WON THE FIRST TITLE OF THE 2013 ISSF RIFLE AND PISTOL WORLD CUP FINAL
Zhang beat Arunovic in the 25m Pistol Women event's Gold medal match, securing the first title to be awarded here in Munich, Germany, where this year's final is held. Zhang's teammate Yuan climbed upon the third step of the podium, collecting the Bronze and leaving Germany's Dorjsuren in fourth.
The 2013 ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup Final kicked off today in Munich, Germany, where the event is staged at the 1972 Olympic Shooting Range in Hochbruck from 8 trough the 11 of November.
There, the best 83 shooters selected throughout this year's ISSF World Cup Series and the titles defenders met to compete for the World Cup titles, coming from 30 different countries.
The first title was awarded at this afternoon's 25m Pistol Women event, won by Zhang Jingjing, 24, of the People's Republic of China.
Zhang met and defeat the world rank's #4 Zorana Arunovic of Serbia in the Gold medal match 8 to 2 points, pocketing her first World Cup Final medal ever.
The Chinese shooter had qualified to participate in this year's ISSF World Cup Final by winning a World Cup stage in Garanda, and by placing in second at the Munich’s stage.
Zhang, 24, started shooting in 2006, when she was only 17-year old. The Chinese talent started competing internationally in 2010, winning her first internal medal the same year, on her home turf, at the 2010 ISSF World Cup Stage held at the Olympic Shooting Range of Beijing.
From there on, she kept on winning, securing an Asian Games Silver in 2012, and then two world cup stage medals this year, climbing the world ranking up to the 3rd place.
Today, she beat one of the strongest international Sport Pistol shooters, Serbia's Zorana Arunovic, 26, currently ranked fourth in the world in this event. “I was a bit nervous during the Gold medal match, as Zorana is a great shooter.” Zhang siad.
“I zeroed in and I tried to shoot at my best, luckily I made it! It feels great to win a title here in Munich.”
“I had won a World Cup Stage medal on these lines, last May. I know this venue, and I like it, that helped me to calm down and concentrate on my technique.” Zhang added.
“I started shooting seven years ago, thanks to a relative of mine who introduced me to the sport. I used to be a timid person, but when I became a competitive athlete I changed a lot, and I am much more self-confident nowadays.” And she proved it today, winning a difficult medal match, with a smile on her face.
“I want more. I want to compete, build up more experience, and win as many international medals I can!”
Bronze medal to China's Yuan Jing
China's Yuan Jing came back to Munich six months after winning a World Cup Stage on these shooting lines, and she ended up fighting for a spot on the podium in the Bronze medal match. There, she met a tough opponent: the 2008 Olympic Bronze medallist Munkhbayar Dorjsuren, 44, from Germany, competing on her home turf and in front of her supporters.
The medal match started off with a draw in the first series, but from there on Yuan led the match nailing one series after the other, eventually securing the Bronze with a score of 8 points, to Dorjsuren's 4 points. The 26-year old Chinese shooter had participated in two ISSF Word Cup Final editions, before, placing 6th in 2009, and 9th two years ago, in 2011.
Olympic Champion Kim in 6th
The reigning Olympic Champion Kim Jangmi, 21, arrived here in Munich to defend the title she had won last year in Bangkok. But the final results saw her ending up in 6th place, with 12 hits in the semi-final, one point behind the 1988 Olympic Champion Nino Salukvadze (GEO), 5th with 13 hits, today.
The winner of this year's ISSF World Cup Stage in Fort Benning, Kim Kyeongae (KOR), 23, ended up in fifth place with 12 hits, while the 44-year old Swiss finalist Heidi Diethelm closed the match in eighth place with 10 hits.
Posted by Thom Erik Syrdahl
Source ISSF Website - http://www.issf-sports.org
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