IOC launches bold initiative on gender equality

25.03.2017

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board today approved a major review project regarding gender equality in the Olympic Movement. With the help of its partners, the Summer and Winter International Sports Federations (IFs) and National Olympic Committees (NOCs), the IOC is undertaking a comprehensive review of the current state of gender equality in the Olympic Games with a mandate to produce action-oriented recommendations for change.

“The IOC is taking a leadership role in the world of sport to push gender equality globally and effect real change,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “The outcomes from this Gender Equality Review Project will benefit the IOC, all International Sports Federations and National Olympic Committees, as well as all the athletes of the Olympic Games. It will also be a further tangible outcome of Olympic Agenda 2020.”

The IOC Gender Equality Review Project is a joint initiative of the IOC’s Women in Sport and Athletes’ Commissions, and aims to raise continued awareness of the importance of gender equality within the Olympic Movement, share best practices and present initiatives to further advance gender equality both on and off the field of play. 

Five essential themes will be assessed: Sport; Portrayal; Funding; Governance; and Human Resources. The work will be conducted by a Working Group chaired by IOC Member and President of the International Triathlon Union Marisol Casado, and comprising IOC Members and NOC and Summer and Winter IF representatives.

Lydia Nsekera, Chair of the IOC Women in Sport Commission, commended the partnership developed between her Commission and the IOC Athletes’ Commission. She said: “We welcome this cooperation and the creation of this Working Group, which will give a great boost to the work of the Women in Sport Commission. Our Commission is looking forward to the recommendations of the Working Group, which will further assist us to remove the barriers that continue to prevent women and girls in sport in general and elite sport in particular.”

For Angela Ruggiero, Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, gender equality is a clear priority for the athletes: “The IOC Athletes’ Commission wants gender equality to be part of the organisational culture within the entire Olympic Movement. To achieve that, we have directed the Working Group to develop action-oriented recommendations, substantiated by data and the best practices of our Olympic partners. We believe the outcome of this project will fundamentally advance the position of women in sport, and ultimately, lead to a stronger Olympic Movement.” 

Marisol Casado, the Working Group Chair for the Project, believes “by having the IOC, the IFs and the NOCs working together on this project, we will share best practices as well as address the obstacles facing gender equality in sport to produce solutions. I am confident our recommendations will make significant advancements.”

Barbara Slater, Director of Sport for the BBC, adds: “As a broadcaster with a proud record in the coverage of women's sport, we welcome the IOC's review into gender equality, and support the recommendation of the IOC’s Women in Sport and Athletes' Commissions for an in-depth review of gender equality within the Olympic Movement. The IOC is uniquely placed in its ability to bring together sports organisations from across the globe to address this crucial issue.”

The Gender Equality Project Working Group will develop recommendations and guidelines, and report its findings to the IOC’s Women in Sport and Athletes’ Commissions, with the final recommendations presented to the IOC Executive Board later this year.

Fostering gender equality and strengthening women’s participation in and through sport is one of the key missions of the IOC. With the adoption of Olympic Agenda 2020 in December 2014 and as reaffirmed by the IOC Executive Board last December, the IOC is committed to working with its stakeholders to increase the possibilities for girls and women in sport and to achieve the goal of female athletes representing 50 per cent of the athletes taking part in the Olympic Games.

IOC Press Release

Posted by Thom Erik Syrdahl

Source - ISSF Website  -  IOC Press Release

India’s Mittal secures his first career Gold in Acapulco, gets his payback on Australia’s Willett

23.03.2017

Final Double Trap Men

ISSF World Cup Shotgun · Acapulco, MEX

Once again, the two athletes shot head-to-head for the men’s Double Trap Gold medal, and this time it was Ankur Mittal turn to raise his gun to the sky. The 24-year-old Indian also equalled the World Record set by Willett in New Delhi (IND).

It didn’t take too long for India’s Double Trap shooter Ankur Mittal to get his revenge on Australia’s James Willett.

In Acapulco (MEX), after Willett beat his Indian rival and claimed the first Gold medal of the season in New Delhi (IND), Mittal returned the favour, besting the number 1 of the ISSF World Ranking and securing the first World Cup Gold medal of his career.

At the Club de Caza, Tiro y Pesca de Acapulco, both shooters started the match by missing only one of their first 30 targets, taking the lead together and battling head-to-head for the top position. In the sixth series, then, Willett missed 3 targets in three consecutive doubles, sliding 3 hits behind Mittal and allowing him to defend the 1st place with a consistent performance in the last ten doubles.

24-year-old Ankur Mittal concluded the final with 75 hits, also matching the World Record set by the same Willett at last month’s competition in New Delhi, while the 21-year-old Australian shooter finished with 73.

“I wouldn’t call it a revenge,” said Mittal after the award ceremony. “James is great shooter and winning and being defeated is all part of the game. The conditions in the finals range I would say they were perfect. Wind affected most of the qualification rounds, but in the afternoon it was not so strong.”

“It was great to share the podium with two young shooters. Shooting is a young sport, and we’re doing our best do make the people appreciate what we do.” Concluded the Gold medalist.

On the third step of the podium alongside Mittal and Willett placed 20-year-old Qi Ying of the People’s Republic of China. Qi, who placing 11th in New Delhi last month, claimed the second medal of his career in his second World Cup participation, adding it to the Gold he secured at last year’s Junior World Cup in Gabala (AZE).

Just outside of the medal position finished 35-year-old Andreas Loew of Germany: currently ranked 5th in the world and Silver medalist at last year’s World Cup stage in San Marino (SMR), Loew missed two targets at a crucial point of the match, finishing with 45 target hits.

Loew was followed by Enrique Brol (38) of Guatemala, Bronze medalist at the Toronto 2015 Pan-American Games, who concluded in 5th place with 34 target hits, while Italy’s 26-year-old Alessandro Chianese, who made it into the final once again after entering the last-six in all of last year’s World Cup stages, placed in 6th position with 26 hits.

The ISSF World Cup Stage 2 in Acapulco will continue on Saturday with the Skeet Women final match, scheduled at 3:30 pm (UTC-6:00). The final will be streamed live on the ISSF website, on its Livestream channel and on its official Facebook page.

News and updates about the competition will be available on issf-sports.org and on the many social media platforms of the Federation: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Weibo and Youku.

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RESULTS - Double Trap Men

1. MITTAL Ankur

2. WILLETT James

3. QI Ying

22.03.2017

Marco Vettoretti

Posted by Thom Erik Syrdahl

Source -  ISSF Website

Alberto Fernandez wins another Spanish derby against his friend and teammate Antonio Bailon

21.03.2017

Final Trap Men

ISSF World Cup Shotgun · Acapulco, MEX

The 33-year-old Spaniard secured the fifth World Cup Gold medal of his career, the first this year after the Bronze one he claimed in the first competition of the season in New Delhi (IND).

It was March 24th 2016 when Spanish shooters Alberto Fernandez (33) and Antonio Bailon (32) respectively placed 1st and 2nd at the ISSF World Cup stage in Nicosia (CYP). One year later, they are still atop the Trap Men podium.

Today in Acapulco (MEX), indeed, Fernandez and Bailon nailed another Gold-Silver combo, entering the men’s Trap final with the two best qualification scores and distancing themselves from their rivals since the early stages of the match. Then, with 10 targets left to hit and Fernandez chasing Bailon 36 to 35, the latter shockingly missed four out of five targets in his second-to-last series, allowing Fernandez to overtake him with a perfect final streak and finish with the Equalled World Record of 45 target.

32-year-old Bailon, whose Silver is the third career World Cup medal, concluded with 42 hits.

“He is not just my teammate, and we don’t just train together,” said Fernandez about Bailon. “He’s my friend, we spend a lot of time together and it’s always a bittersweet victory when I beat him.”

“I don’t usually look at the scoreboard during the finals, but I could hear the sounds of the missed targets and the crowd’s reactions, so I knew that something was going on.” Concluded the Gold medalist.

The Bronze medal finished around the neck of Great Britain’s Aaron Heading (29), a two-time World Cup medalist, who finished with 32 hits and climbed on the ISSF podium four years after his last time.

The British shooter was followed by Daniele Resca (30) of Italy, Silver medalist at last year’s World Cup stage in San Marino (SMR), who missed his very last clay and eventually landed in 4th position with 29 hits.

31-year-old Yannick Peeters of Belgium, who placed 2nd behind Fernandez at last year’s Olympic test event in Rio de Janeiro (BRA), finished the final in 5th place with 24 target hits, leaving the match because of a lower qualification ranking against Resca’s.

Peru’s Alessandro De Souza Ferreira (24) left the match first after five series, placing 6th with 17 hits. His previous best placement was a 17th place nailed in Rio de Janeiro (BRA) in 2016.

News and updates about the competition will be available on issf-sports.org and on the many social media platforms of the Federation: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Weibo and Youku.

The five finals will be all streamed live on the ISSF website, on its Livestream channel and on its official Facebook page.

The ISSF World Cup Stage 2 in Acapulco will continue next Wednesday with the Double Trap Men final match, scheduled at 3:45 pm (UTC-6:00).

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RESULTS - Trap Men

1. FERNANDEZ Alberto

2. BAILON Antonio

3. HEADING Aaron

20.03.2017

Marco Vettoretti

Posted by Thom Erik Syrdahl

Source - ISSF Website

United States’ Carroll beats Olympic Silver medalist Rooney to claim her first World Cup Gold

20.03.2017


Final Trap Women

ISSF World Cup Shotgun · Acapulco, MEX

The United States’ 22-year-old competed in front of her parents in the second World Cup stage of the season, surviving a six-way shoot-off to enter the final and finishing atop the women’s Trap podium.

There are many ways to collect the first World Cup Gold medal of your career, and doing it in front of your parents is surely among the most emotional ones.

That’s what United States’ Ashley Carroll did today in Acapulco (MEX), where she wrestled through a crowded shoot-off to enter the women’s Trap final match, earning the one and only spot left and prevailing over multi-decorated shooter Laetisha Scanlan of Australia.

In the following final, Carroll didn’t miss any of her first 19 targets, eventually going through a slump midway through the match, where she missed allowed New Zealand’s Natalie Rooney to overtake her. Despite that, she managed to match her rival’s pace, eventually catching the New Zealand’s 28-year-old during the ten final targets.

As both Carroll and Rooney concluded with 42 hits, it took an additional shoot-off round to determine the Gold medal winner. There, Rooney shot first and missed, allowing her 22-year-old opponent to claim the first World Cup Gold of her career and celebrate together with her mom and dad, both cheering for Ashely from the stands.

“It actually feels great to win my first World Cup Gold medal in front of them, we live in California, so it’s quite easy to come here in Mexico. It’s been great to feel their support and my teammates’ support all along the qualifications round and through the final match,” Carroll said at the end of the award ceremony.

By finishing with the same score at the end of the regular 50 targets, Carroll and Rooney also bested the scored nailed by Australia’s Penny Smith in New Delhi (IND) last month, and they now co-own the World Record in the women’s Trap event.

Alessandra Perilli (28) of San Marino completed the podium by finishing 3rd with 30 target hits, collecting the sixth World Cup medal of her career.

After missing 5 of her first 10 targets, Spain’s Fatima Galvez (30) avoided elimination after target 25 and target 30, eventually landing in 4th place with 26 target hits. The seven-time World Cup medalist left the final match because of a lower qualification ranking compared to Perilli’s.

Galvez was followed by Australia’s 24-year-old Emma Elizabeth Cox, who concluded in 4th position with 23 hits, and Italy’s 41-year-old Deborah Gelisio, a former ISSF World Champion in Lonato (ITA) in 2005 who finished in 6th place with 17 hits out of 25 targets.

News and updates about the competition will be available on issf-sports.org and on the many social media platforms of the Federation: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Weibo and Youku.

The five finals will be all streamed live on the ISSF website, on its Livestream channel and on its official Facebook page.

The ISSF World Cup Stage 2 in Acapulco will continue tomorrow with the Trap Men final match, scheduled at 3:00 pm (UTC-6:00).

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RESULTS - Trap Women

1. CARROLL Ashley

2. ROONEY Natalie

3. PERILLI Alessandra

19.03.2017

Marco Vettoretti

Posted by Thom Erik Syrdahl
Source - ISSF Website

Acapulco start tomorrow the second World Cup Stage of 2017

Tomorrow, March 19 begins the first day of competition for the 2nd ISSF World Cup of the 2017 season in Acapulco, Mexico.

206 athletes from 33 nations are already at the Club de Caza, Tiro y Pesca de Acapulco, to start the competitions from tomorrow until March 26.

From the total of 206 athletes, 149 are men and 57 are women, far from achieving the desired equalization between male and female participants. National Federations will have to observe this detail better, because, considering that from the 33 participating nations, 13 nations did not include women in their teams. It is not mandatory, but desirable, as female athletes today are increasingly competitive and expect federations to give them the same support they have been given to male athletes.

I set up a simplified schedule table, showing only qualifying events and Finals with their respective start times. If you want to consult the complete schedule of the competition, you can find it on the ISSF Website

	SHOTGUNS EVENTS
	Men	Women
Day 1	10:00   Trap Men Day 1	9:00       Trap Women
19/03		16:15   Final Trap Women
Day 2	10:00     Trap Men Day 2
20/03	15:00      Final Trap Men
Day 3	9:00       Test Event - Trap Mixed Gender Team
21/03	14:15       Final Trap Mixed  Gender Team
Day 4	9:00      Double Trap Men
22/03	15:30  Final Double Trap
Day 5 23/03	Unofficial Training Skeet
Day 6	Equip. Control – Consultation Service
24/03	9:00       Pre-Event Training – Skeet
Day 7	9:30       Skeet Men  Day 1	9:00       Skeet Women
25/03		15:30    Final Skeet Women
Day 8	9:30     Skeet Men  Day 2
26/3	14:00     Final Skeet Men

Attention: Mixed Team Event is a Test Event only. There will be no official WC Medals, no Live Results and no Media coverage as for the World Cup Events.

Thom Erik Syrdahl

Source ISSF Website