They have different backgrounds and motivations, but both set their sights on Rio 2016, after winning the first match of the season.
It was the last shot that decided today’s 10m Air Pistol Men final, as the winner of the 2015 Pan American Games Felipe Almeida Wu of Brazil (23) and the 2014 Continental American Championship winner, Will Brown of USA (24), tied at the penultimate shot with 191.7 points.
The two shooters fought since the beginning of the final, stately climbing up toward the podium placements. When only two shots were left to fire, Brown held a narrow 0.3-point advantage on his Brazilian opponent, but as he shot a 10.2 to Wu’s 10.5, the two finished tied right before the last shot of the match.
The pressure of the final kicked-in: Brown scored a disappointing 9.7, while Almeida Wu zeroed and fired a winning 10.2, which allowed him to move in the lead and to secure the brightest medal with a total score of 201.9 points. Brown was left in second, with a score of 201.4 points.
“It’s amazing, I am extremely happy, hard work paid-off today.” Said the Brazilian athlete. “This is a very important year for Brazil and for Brazilian sports,” Wu added. “We have all eyes on us. Our national media started following us more and more in the lead-up to the Olympics. And this is crucial, especially for Shooting sport. I am happy to contribute to spread knowledge about our disciplines through my victories.”
“Winning the first international match of the year helps to build up confidence. I will continue to work, to be ready next August.”
Hoang Xuan Vinh, 41, from Vietnam, took Bronze with 180.1 points after fighting neck and neck against Wu and Brown. Kazakhstan’s Rashid Yunusmetov, ranked 22nd in the world in this event, was also going for a medal, but a 9.3 at his 16th shot cost him the podium. The 36-year old athlete placed in 4th with 159.3 points, just 0.7 points far from the medalists. Today’s turned into a disappointing final also for the winner of yesterday’s 50m Pistol Men event, India’s Jitu Rai (28). The Indian shooter started off the match with some strong scores, but then marked 8.8 and 9.9 on his 13th and 14th shots, dropping down in the placements and eventually taking the 5th place with 139.0 points.
At the following 50m Rifle Prone Men final, it was the 2000 Olympic Silver medalistTorben Grimmel of Denmark who finished in the spotlights.
Grimmel secured the brightest medal at the end of a thrilling duel against Australia’s 2008 Olympic Bronze medalist and reigning world champion Warren Potent, 53. With two excellent last shots of 10.3 and 10.7 points, the Danish athlete sealed the victory with a final score of 209.1 points, leaving Potent in second with 208.3 points. The 40-year old shooter came back atop of an ISSF world cup podium 8 years after his last victory in this event.
“It feels great to be back,” Grimmel said. “I had a work accident, and I had to pass through back surgery twice, in 2010 and then again 2013. But luckily I have been able to recover well. That was odd-defying.”
“My aim for 2016 is to go to the Olympics and to do well there. And I am confident.” He added. “We are all training and competing for an Olympic medal. I would say there are 10 to 15 people out there who have what it takes to win the Games. It’s unpredictable.”
“I am trying to stick to my routines as much as possible.” Continued the Danish shooter. “At the Games, the targets, the people and the scores are more and less the same: the main issue is to cope with the pressure and peak at the right moment. I have already been through it, 16 years ago.”
Following Grimmel and Potent, it was Hungary’s 19-year old Istvan Peni who secured theBronze medal with 187.3 points, only two days after finishing in third at the 10m Air Rifle Men event. “Wow! This is amazing, it’s a dream!” He said. “I’d prepared really well for the 10m Air Rifle event, in the lead up to this world cup stage. And that worked really well. I can’t believe that I made it to the podium also today. Shooting next to these Olympic medalists is definitely inspiring.”
Even more impressing, Peni beat the world cup titleholder and #1 in the world Michael Mcphail of USA (34), to finish upon the podium. Halfway through the final, the top-4 athletes were divided by one point only, and Peni managed to keep Mcphail 0.4 points behind him, winning the medal and leaving the American shooter in 4th with a score of 166.2 points.
The ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup in Bangkok, Thailand, continues tomorrow. The 10m Air Pistol and the 50m Rifle 3 Position Women finals will be broadcasted live on the ISSF website (www.issf-sports.org) at 11:00 AM and 13:15 (UTC+7), respectively.
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