The 2015 European Games champion Damir Mikec of Serbia, 32, secured gold at today’s 10m Air Pistol Men event, during day-3 of the 2016 ISSF World Cup Final in Bologna, Italy.
Mikec scored 202.9 points, leaving few chances to the 2008 Olympic Champion and Rio 2016 Bronze medalist Pang Wei of the People’s Republic of China, who claimed silver with 199.7 points.
Tukey’s Ismail Keles – who qualified to participate in this Final by wining silver at this year’s world cup stage in Munich – collected the bronze medal with 178.4 points, leaving behind him Russia’s Vladimir Isakov, 4th with 157.8 point.
“I have been competing in six ISSF World Cup Finals since 2009, and I had never made it to the podium. Finally, this nice ISSF Globe came to me!” Mikec said after the match.
“I came here to win it, this time. I even made space at home to display the Cup before coming to Bologna. This is dangerous, because shooting is all about concentrating and having no expectations.”
“I has some up and downs during the final, but I tried to clear my mind, to stay focused, and to score one shot after the other, without thinking at the final result. Luckily it worked well,” he continued.
“I was a bit upset that I did not make the final at the Games,” explained Mikec, who placed in 25th at in Rio de Janeiro. “But I know I have another cycle in front of me, and today’s victory is a good motivation and at the same time a nice way to close the season before starting all again.”
Earlier today, Mexico’s Alejandra Zavala Vazquez won the 10m Air Pistol Women final in an extraordinary fashion. The 32-year old shooter claimed the brightest medal by winning a shoot-off against Rio 2016’s hero Anna Korakaki of Greece, by 9.8 to 9.1.
The two athletes tied after the last shot with a score of 201.0 points (which means that 20-year old Korakaki equaled the current junior final world record), leaving Rio 2016 Olympic champion Zhang Menxue of the People’s Republic of China in third place with 178.4 points.
10m Air Pistol Men results, click here.
10m Air Pistol Women results, click here.
