Australia’s 20-year old James Willett sealed the 2016 season in Rome, Italy, by winning the men’s Double Trap world cup title at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup Final, today.
Willett met and beat USA’s Jeffrey Holguin in the gold medal match, claiming the title by 1 target with a score of 28 hits to Holguin’s 27.
The two athletes had cleared the semi-final with 28 hits, and passed through a three-way shoot-off with +2 hits, leaving Germany’s Andreas Loew in the bronze medal match with 28+1 hits.
There, Loew faced Malta’s William Chetcuti, who beat him 29 to 24 hits to collect today’s Bronze.
Rio 2016 Olympic Champion – the Independent Shooting Participant Fehaid Aldeehani - closed the match in 6th place with 27+1 hits in the semi-final, behind the Olympic bronze medalist Steven Scott of Great Britain, 5th with a score of 27+1 clays.
“Obviously the ISSF World Cup Final was great. I came over here a few days ago and enjoyed the range and the shooting, and I managed to put a good score together and win today,” Willett said.
“I had a big year, in 2016. I got to represent Australia at the Olympic Games. I managed to come 5th in Rio. I was a little bit disappointed on not winning a medal. I came here trying to finish the year on a high, and I can’t complain,” he added.
“The next aim is to make the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and hopefully to win a gold medal there.”
55 athletes from 25 countries are competing in the 2016 ISSF Shotgun World Cup Final in Rome, Italy, from the 11th through the 15th of October. Tomorrow (October 13th) the next medals will be assigned at the men’s Skeet Final, starting at 2.00 PM (UTC+2). All finals will be broadcasted live on www.issf-sports.org and on the Olympic Channel.