quinta-feira, 2 de novembro de 2017

ISSF World Cup Final 2017: Italy tip China to top medals tally; hosts India finish 7th in tournament

Silver medalist Daniele Resca of Italy, Gold medalist Alberto Fernandez of Spain and Bronze medalist Giovanni Cernogoraz of Croatia pose with their medals after the Trap Men Final. Image courtesy: ISSF official website

New Delhi: Hosts India finished seventh overall with one gold, one silver and a bronze, while Italy pipped China in the medals tally, as the ISSF World Cup Final came to a close on Sunday.

India won through Jitu Rai/Heena Sidhu (gold in mixed team 10m air pistol) Sangram Dahiya (silver in men's double trap) and Amanpreet Singh (bronze in men's 50m pistol). This was India's best ever result in the annual ISSF shooting centerpiece.

In the ISSF Champion of Champions event, where all medal winners in the rifle and pistol events could compete for a purse of 5000 euros each, China's Rio 2016 10m air pistol women's champion, Mengxue Zhang and Gengcheng Sui, were crowned Champion of Champions in pistol and rifle respectively.

India's Jitu Rai had won the pistol event last time around.

On the concluding day's final event, the men's trap, Spain's Alberto Fernandez, six-time world cup gold medallist and bronze medallist in last year's WCF, won gold with a world record score of 48 out of 50 in the final.

Italy's reigning world champion Daniele Resca won silver with an effort of 46 and his medal was crucial as it helped Italy beat China in the medals table.

Daniele's silver meant Italy finished with two gold, three silver and one bronze, while China ended with two gold, two silver and five bronze medals.

In the two other medal events of the day, France's Rio Olympics bronze medallist Alexis Raynaud won gold in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions event, getting the better of young 18- year old Czech Filip Nepejchal 461.7 to 458.5 in the final.

The 20-year-old Hungarian Istvan Peni won bronze with an effort of 449.1 to round off a good trip with a total of one gold (10m air rifle) and one bronze medal.

In the men's 25m rapid fire pistol, Keith Sanderson of the USA won gold over silver winning Frenchman Clement Bessaguet. Keith shot 31 out of 40 in the final to Clement's 29. Korea's Jong Ho Song shot 24 to claim bronze.

Published Date: Oct 30, 2017 02:45 pm | Updated Date: Oct 30, 2017 02:45 pm

Posted by Thom Erik Syrdahl
Source: - http://www.firstpost.com/sports

domingo, 29 de outubro de 2017

Fantastic Fernandez! The Spaniard sets a new World Record and takes the Gold

Final Trap Men

ISSF World Cup Final Rifle / Pistol / Shotgun · New Delhi, IND

An outstanding performance signed by Spanish Alberto Fernandez closed the competition at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range, where the 34-year-old crushed 48 clays and set a new Trap World Record. On the podium alongside him Daniele Resca of Italy took Silver, while Giovanni Cernogoraz of Croatia won the Bronze medal.

A tremendous shooting performance capped off the 2017 ISSF World Cup Final in New Delhi (IND), as Trap Men shooter Alberto Fernandez of Spain set a new World Record on his way to the ISSF crystal globe.

The Spanish 34-year-old hit 48 of his 50 targets, dominating his rivals with great self-confidence and only missing clay number 32 and number 50. Once the match was over, Fernandez was immediately greeted by his girlfriend Beatriz Martinez, also a Trap shooter, who previously won the ISSF World Cup Final title in the Trap Mixed Team event.

“To win this trophy and to set a new World Record in the same match is a fantastic feeling,” Fernandez said. “I want to dedicate this victory to my mother who was watching me from home. The pointed finger at the end of the final was for her, she told me I was going to win… I love her very much.”

With only ten targets left to hit, Fernandez defended himself from the potential comeback of Italy’s 31-year-old Daniele Resca, who also shot greatly and pocketed the Silver medal with 46 hits, missing the chance to add another title to the World Championship Gold he won in Moscow (RUS) last month.

The Bronze medal was awarded to Croatia’s Giovanni Cernogoraz, winner of the ISSF World Cup Final in Nicosia (CYP) in 2015 and in Rome (ITA) in 2016. The Croatian 34-year-old, Olympic Gold medalist at London 2012, pocketed the Bronze with 37 crushed targets out of 40.

33-year-old Antonio Bailon of Spain, holder of the previous World Record, concluded his match at the foot of the podium, placing in 4th position with 31 hits out of 35 clays.

Bailon was followed by the second Italian finalist, 47-year-old and four-time Olympic medalist Giovanni Pellielo, who took 5th place with 26 target hits out of 30, and by British 30-year-old Aaron Heading, who was the first shooter the leave the match and placed 6th with 22 hits out of 25 targets.

The ISSF World Cup Final in New Delhi (IND) took place at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range from October 23rd to October 30th. 160 athletes participated, representing 45 countries and piling up 195 starts.

The final will be streamed live on the ISSF website, on the Federation’s Livestream channel, on its official Facebook pageand on the Olympic Channel.

Live results of the competition, news and updates will be available on www.issf-sports.org and on all ISSF social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Weibo and Youku.

RESULTS - Trap Men

1. FERNANDEZ Alberto

2. RESCA Daniele

3. CERNOGORAZ Giovanni

29.10.2017

Marco Vettoretti

Posted by Thom Erik Syrdahl

Source ISSF Website

Keith Sanderson pockets United States’ second World Cup Final Gold

Final 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men

ISSF World Cup Final Rifle / Pistol / Shotgun · New Delhi, IND

Competing in his seventh ISSF World Cup Final, the American 42-year-old finally claimed the seasonal title, preceding France’s Silver medal winner Clement Bessaguet and Republic of Korea’s first-time participant Song Jong Ho, who took Bronze.

Ten years after participating in his first ISSF World Cup Final, and capping his seventh start in this competition in New Delhi (IND), United States’ Keith Sanderson finally climbed atop the podium, claiming his first ISSF crystal globe in the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men Gold.

Carrying the second highest qualification score, 42-year-old Sanderson shot consistently through the whole final match, nailing two perfect 5-hit series and taking the lead at the end of the fifth one, when he placed 1st alongside his Korean rival Song. Firing two consecutive 4-hit series, then, the experienced American finally managed to put some distance between himself and his closest opponent, France’s 26-year-old Clement Bessaguet, sealing the victory with 3 hits in the final one.

“In my first couple of World Cup Final starts I really had no idea what I was doing,” said Sanderson, whose Gold medal is the second one won by the United States in New Delhi. “Last year it was pretty bad to finish dead last in Bologna, but here, I prepared a lot for this competition, and I think that the outcome speak for itself… It feels great to finally win the title.”

“I retired from the US Army just a couple of weeks ago,” he added. “So I’ll be moving to Seattle and start a new job there. It’s going to be a bit complicated, so I won’t be competing anymore this year. But I’ll keep training of course.”

“I have some pretty good friends in the US Shotgun team,” concluded Sanderson, who was the only Rifle/Pistol shooter representing the United States at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range. “I like to be around good athletes, and Team USA has some amazing Shotgun shooters!”

Sanderson’s finished with 33 hits, only one away from the current World Record, while after nailing the best qualification score, Bessaguet took Silver with 29.

Competing in his first career World Cup Final, Republic of Korea’s 27-year-old Song Jong Ho took Bronze with 24 hits.

Azerbaijan’s Ruslan Lunev took 4th place after losing a shoot-off against Song, finishing with 22 hits and barley missing his first career World Cup Final medal. Previously, the 28-year-old Azerbaijani shooter survived another tie-breaking shoot-off to avoid elimination in 5th place, besting Lao Jiajie of the People’s Republic of China, Gold medalist at this year’s World Cup stage in New Delhi.

The Chinese 27-year-old concluded his final with 17 hits.

Rio 2016 Olympic Gold medalist and World Cup Final title holder Christian Reitz of Germany was the first to leave the match, finishing 6th with 12 hits.

RESULTS - 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men

1. SANDERSON Keith

2. BESSAGUET Clement

3. SONG Jong Ho

29.10.2017

Marco Vettoretti

Posted by Thom Erik Syrdahl

Source: - ISSF Website

Alexis Raynaud of France secures his first World Cup Final Gold in New Delhi

Final 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men

ISSF World Cup Final Rifle / Pistol / Shotgun · New Delhi, IND

Standing on top of the table all along the final, the French 23-year-old won France’s second Gold medal of the competition, climbing atop a podium that also starred youngsters Filip Nepejchal of the Czech Republic and Istvan Peni of Hungary, who respectively took Silver and Bronze.

The 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men final sealed the Rifle/Pistol schedule at the ISSF World Cup Final in New Delhi (IND), awarding Rio 2016 Silver medalist Alexis Raynaud of France with his first ISSF crystal globe.

The 23-year-old led the table for the whole final match, but failed to build a comfortable lead and distance his closes opponents: Czech Republic’s Istvan Peni and Hungary’s Istvan Peni.

Inching closer to the Elimination phase, Raynaud remained focused and extended the gap to 1.8-point at the end of the second standing series. There, the French shot four consistent shot, maintaining his lead and eventually capping the match with a fantastic 10.8 on his 45th and final one.

“I’m very happy! I was already happy to be here and be able to compete with the best shooters in the world,” said Raynaud. “That last 10.8 couldn’t come at a better time, when I saw it on the screen I finally relaxed. It’s been a great final, with many young shooters. I they are bringing a different approach to the sport, which is great.”

“My main focus for next year is the European and the World Championship,” he concluded.

The tight battle between 18-year-old Nepejchal and 20-year-old Peni finally crowned the Czech athlete, who took Silver with 458.5 points, while the Hungarian followed his younger rival in 3rd place with 449.1, adding a Bronze to the men’s 10m Air Rifle Gold he won four days earlier.

Placed just outside of the medal positions, Croatian 29-year-old Petar Gorsa took 4th place with 439.2 points, while Poland’s Tomasz Bartnik left after shot number 42 and finished 5th in his first World Cup Final participation, scoring 428.0 points.

The Polish 27-year-old preceded 45-year-old experienced Serbian shooter Stevan Pletikosic, who finished in 6th place and scored 414.3 points in his sixth World Cup Final appearance.

Two Chinese shooters left the match at the 40th-shot mark: the 2017 Junior World Champion Liu Yukun took 8th place with 404.3 points, while Hui Zicheng finishing in 7th with 405.6.

RESULTS - 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men

1. RAYNAUD Alexis

2. NEPEJCHAL Filip

3. PENI Istvan

29.10.2017

Marco Vettoretti

Posted by Thom Erik Syrdahl

Source: - ISSF Website

sábado, 28 de outubro de 2017

21-year-old Alessia Iezzi wins Italy’s second World Cup Final title

Final Trap Women

ISSF World Cup Final Rifle / Pistol / Shotgun · New Delhi, IND

Competing against an extremely talented and decorated group of shooters, and also dealing with an index-finger injury, the young Italian shooter raised her first ever ISSF trophy in New Delhi, preceding Silver medal winner Fatima Galvez of Spain and Bronze medal winner Ray Bassil of Lebanon.

The Trap Women final at the ISSF World Cup Final in New Delhi (IND) saw a young, talented and reckless 21-year-old secure the first ISSF crystal globe of her career, as Italy’s Alessia Iezzi faced and beat a panel of shooters that included former ISSF World Champion Fatima Galvez (30) of Spain, Rio 2016 Gold medalist Catherine Skinner (27) of Australia and two-time Olympic medalist Zuzana Rehak Stefecekova (33) of Slovakia.

After entering the final with the second highest qualification score, Iezzi warmed up quickly, missing four total clays in her first three series and closing the first half of the match with 10 straight hits.

As her rivals started missing more, Iezzi kept shooting consistently, climbing up the table and entering the 10 final targets with a 1-hit advantage on Spanish shooter Fatima Galvez (30). There, with a decisive point in her hands, she missed the very last clay of the match, tying the score at 41 and thus extending the final.

In the following shoot-off, however, it was Galvez who surrendered first, missing her second additional target and letting Alessia Iezzi burst in joy.

“I still can’t believe it,” said the Italian. “I was going through some tough times with my shooting: even the other day, in the Trap Mixed Team event, I shot pretty badly, then I talked about with my coach and we laid out a plan for today… And it worked!”

“During the final I was in a lot of pain, but I tried not to think about it,” added Iezzi, who also had to deal with a painful index-finger injury she suffered during the qualification round, when the trigger of her gun caused a cut on her pad. “I tried not to think about anything, nor the blood or the score. So when I heard the sound of the miss it took me a moment to figure it out. It’s been the best feeling ever!”

For Galvez it’s the second World Cup Final medal after the Bronze won in Nicosia (CYP) in 2015.

Despite crushing 24 of her first 25 targets, Lebanon’s 29-year-old Ray Bassil finished in 3rd place, missing seven of the following 15 and concluding with 32 hits out of 40 targets.

The Gold medalist of this year’s World Cup stage in New Delhi almost stepped on the podium of the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range for a second time: Australia’s Penny Smith, indeed, placed in 4th position with 28 target hits out of 35, missing the podium by just 1 hit.

London 2012 Silver medalist Zuzana Rehak Stefecekova of Slovakia hit 24 out of 30 clays, missing her very last one and taking 5th place, while Rio 2016 Olympic Champion Catherine Skinner, also of Australia, left the match after 25 targets, finishing 6th with 18 hits.

The ISSF World Cup Final in New Delhi (IND) will conclude tomorrow with the three last finals: the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men, scheduled at 11:15 am (UTC+5:30); the 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men, scheduled at 1:00 pm; and the Trap Men, scheduled at 4:30 pm.