Olympic Silver Brovold outdid Olympic Champion Hancock at World Cup Final of Minsk
Vincent Hancock of the USA and Tore Brovold of Norway, the Olympic Gold and Silver medallists of Beijing, the two athletes currently leading the world ranking and the only two who have been able to shot the 150-target final world record, keep on fighting for the leadership in the skeet men event.
Hancock and Brovold, that had fought for the Olympic Gold of Beijing right to a shoot-off, met again today at the ISSF World Cup Final in Shotgun of Minsk, where they passed through the qualifications entering the final round tied once again, shooting the same qualification score of 123 hits.
The two shooters, who have been duelling for the highest rankings of the skeet men event throughout this Olympic season, played an breathtaking final round here in Minsk, shooting head to head right to the fourth station, where the 19-year old Hancock lost a determinant target breaking the tie.
Brovold did not miss the chance, shooting straight to the end of the round and winning Gold with 145 hits and one target of advantage on Hancock, gaining his second title in career after the 2004 edition of Maribor.
“I would not say that this is a revenge after the Olympic Games” commented the Beijing’s Silver medallist Brovold, who had lost the Olympic Gold in a shoot-off against Hancock “We are good friends… but here we were competing, and I tried to give my best to conclude such an intense season in the best way. Now I think I can take an holiday!”
The Olympic Champion Vincent Hancock finished in second place with a total score of 147 hits. The young American shooter has won almost every title in shooting: from World to Continental Championships, from World Cups to Olympic Games Gold, Hancock has climbed every podium in the last three years, but an ISSF World Cup Final Gold still missing from his medals showcase. He had indeed taken part in the 2005 edition held in Dubai, finishing in second as well.
Bronze went to the Czech shooter Jan Sychra, 39, who had won Silver at the 2007 edition held in Belgrade. Sychra won the spot on the podium with a total score of 144 hits and by outdoing 2 to 1 in a shoot-off the 45-year old Abdullah Alrashidi, who placed in fourth. At the same time, the title defender, Georgios Achilleos of Cyprus, did not pass the shoot-off to get into the final, finishing in seventh with 119+1 targets.
Next to the medallists, special applauses went to the 48-year old Italian shooter Andrea Benelli, the 1996 Bronze medallist of Atlanta and 2004 Olympic Champion of Athens. After 30 years passed in the Italian national team and five participations in the Olympics, Benelli announced today his definitive retirement from the international competitions after the skeet final round, where he placed in fifth with a total of 143 hits.
