Archerfish.org

Korea’s young athletes finished atop of the Youth Olympic Games shooting medal standings, beating China and Ukraine.

It must have been a nice surprise for the Korean team coach Lee Yong Jae. Before the Games, had been aiming to collect a Bronze, he said. But after his athletes collected three medals, finishing atop of the shooting sport Youth Olympics’ medal standings, he paid tribute to their dedication in training.

“They really concentrate during their trainings,” Mr. Lee said. “Yes, they are under a lot of pressure, but they got their rewards according to the efforts that they’ve put in and I’m really happy about it!”

Starting with the Gold medal won by Kim Jang Mi in the 10m Air Pistol Women Junior event, passing through the Bronze secured by Choi Daehan in the 10m Air Pistol Men Junior event, to finish with the Gold medal won on the last competition, the 10m Air Rifle Women Junior, by Go Dowon, Korea left few chances to his opponents, finishing in first place with a total of three medals.

The People’s Republic of China finished in second place, with one Gold and one Silver medals, won by Gao Ting Jie at the 10m Air Rifle Men Junior event and by Fang Xue in the 10 Air Pistol Women Junior event, respectively.

Team Ukraine grabbed the third place, with one Gold and one Bronze, won by Denys Kushnirov in the 10m Air Pistol Men Junior event and by Serhiy Kulish in the 10m Air Rifle Men Junior event.

The medal standings:

The first stage of this year’s ISSF World Cup Series, held in Changwon, Korea, was closed today by the last of the ten finals in Olympic events, the 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men event, won by India’s Gagan NARANG.

This first world cup stage saw the success of People’s Republic of China, that won the medal standing with an impressive total of 11 medals (5 Gold, 3 Silver and 3 Bronze medals).

Russia came in second in the medal standings, with 2 Gold, 1 Silver and 2 Bronze medals, thanks to its legendary pistol shooters, who shot 4 out of the 5 medals, and both the Golds.

The hosting country Korea gained a precious spot in the top three of the medal standings, placing in third with 1 Gold, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze.

The medal standings:

GOLD SILVER BRONZE TOT
CHN 5 3 3 11
RUS 2 1 2 5
KOR 1 3 1 5
AUS 1 - 1 2
IND 1 - 1 2
USA - 1 - 1
FRA - 1 - 1
KAZ - 1 - 1
NOR - - 1 1
GER - - 1 1
TOT 10 10 10 30

The second ISSF World Cup Stage will take place in Beijing, China, on the lined of the Olympic shooting range of the last Games. There is no much time to rest! The competition is starting in two days: it will take place from the 16th through the 24th of April.

The 2009 ISSF World Cup Series kicked-off today in Changwon, Korea, where more then 450 starts were registered for the first world cup stage in rifle and pistol events, which takes place between the 9th and 16th of April. This competition opens a new Olympic cycle that, starting from here, leads to the 2012 Games of London.
Shooters from all around the world met to compete in the 10 Olympic rifle and pistol events at the well-known shooting range of Changwon, where 11 ISSF world cups have been hosted since 1987.

“Dear shooters! I hope that all of you may have good results to enhance your national prestige and your personal honour!” said Mr. KIM Jung, the President of the Organizing Committee, while welcoming the participants at the opening ceremony.
Mr. LI Feng, the ISSF Technical Delegate for this World Cup Stage, speaking in behalf of the ISSF President Mr. Olegario Vazquez Raña and the of the ISSF Secretary General Mr. Horst Schreiber, welcomed the shooters along with the Major of Changwon, Mr. PARK Wan-Su “Our Korean hosts are working with enthusiasm to achieve a successful competition – said Mr. LI Feng while speaking at the opening ceremony – This is a beautiful range, and it has been renewed with new electronic targets. We are confident that our shooters will bring back home great memories thanks to the excellent job done by our friends of the Korean Shooting Federation.”

Mr. LEE Woo-Jae, member of the ISSF Administrative Council, declared the competition officially opened, and then presided to the oath of shooters and referees in front of the authorities, a solemn promise to compete and judge in fair play in the interest of the sport-soul and of the International Shooting family. The opening ceremony was then concluded by Korean dance and music performances sponsored by the organizing committee.

The first final, the 10m Air Rifle Men event, will take place tomorrow, April 10th, at 1.30 PM Changwon time (UTC/GMT + 9 hours).

Keep on following the ISSF website for updated results and further news about the event!