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India’s Tomar claimed Silver, her first ISSF World Cup Medal, finishing four targets behind Del Din “I am so happy, I struggled with the weather, but I managed to foucus on my targets during the final” said the 27-year old Indian shooter, who had never made into an ISSF final round before.

place under the sun, here in rainy Dorset. The 40-year old shooter, coming from the smallest participating country, climbed upon the highest step of the podium with a total score of 92 hits, leaving her opponents four targets behind her.

Starting the morning qualifications with a 22-hit series, Del Din peaked scoring 24 and 25 targets in the second and third qualification series. Walking into the final with a qualification score of 71 hits, Del Din zeroed in and shot consistently right to the end, hitting 21 out of 25 final targets in spite of the slight wind blowing from the right.

Del Din, a 2007 World Championship Bronze medallist, had won her first World Cup Gold medal one year ago, in Cairo. “I could not imagine I was going to win a Gold here in Dorset” Said San Marino’s ace shooter “We started our preparation later on, this year. I was thinking at this World Cup as a chance to get ready for Lonato, and I was not even thinking about the final”.

“Conditions were good, we just struggled a little bit with the weather. Making into the final, I felt confident, and I just kept on focusing on the targets.”

“My nest aims? I will be in Lonato, at the next World Cup Stage, in June. And then I will travel to the European Championship and to the World Championship in Munich. But I don’t want to talk about quotas, now…” concluded Del Din.

Finishing in second place behind her, the Indian athlete Seema Tomar, 27, won her first ISSF World Cup Medal ever, securing the Silver with a score of 88 hits. Qualified with 70 hits, she scored 18 targets during the final, ending her first final in second “I am so happy, and my team too! We are going to celebrate all together!” she exclaimed “I was really nervous, at the beginning. I had never competed in a World Cup final round, before! But then I managed to calm down and zero in on the targets”.

Bronze went to Maria Volkova of the Russian Federation, third with 87 hits, while Italy’s Giulia Iannotti and Slovakia’s Jana Mezeiova scored 86 targets, placing in fourth and fifth after a shoot-off. Susanne Kiermaier of Germany finished in sixth with 84 hits

The last chance to qualify for this year’s ISSF World Cup Final is given at the fourth and last leg of this year’s World Cup series, kicking-off in San Marino in this ours.

The fourth and last leg of this year’s ISSF World Cup in Shotgun events has been opened in San Marino, the smallest Republic of the World.

379 shooters, coming from 49 countries, will compete in the five Olympic shotgun events of Trap, Double Trap and Skeet shooting.

The competition, which offers the last chance to qualify for this year’s ISSF World Cup Final, will be held at the new San Marino’s shooting club from the 16th through the 24th of June.

The first match of this World Cup stage, the Skeet Women event, will take place June the 17th. The final round will take place at 6.30 PM San Marino’s time (GMT +2). Results, news and video highlights will be posted on www.iss-sports.org .

The World Cup stage was opened by a spectacular ceremony, which took place at Cava delle Balestre, in the historical city centre of San Marino. An exhibition of the traditional San Marino’s crossbowman was offered by the World Cup’s Organizing Committee, which welcomed the athletes to the oldest Republic of the World.

“Welcome to everybody! It’s an honour to welcome an ISSF competition in our Republic – said the San Marino’s State Secretary Fabio BERARDI – this is one of the most important sport events that we have ever hosted. Shooting is beloved in San Marino, and our shooters made us proud both on the international and Olympic scene.”

The ISSF Secretary General Horst G. Schreiber took part in the opening ceremony, expressing his best wishes in behalf of the International Shooting Sport Federation.

“This is a premier! This is the first time that an ISSF World Cup stage is organized in one of the small countries!” Said Mr. Schreiber “Thanks to the San Marino’s Olympic Committee, and to the San Marino’s Organizing Committee and Shooting Federations, for their efforts. We will always remember this beautiful day in this beautiful country!”

The President of the Olympic Committee of San Marino, Mr. Angelo VICINI, thanked the ISSF Secretary General, and welcome the athletes to San Marino. “Our Olympic movement will prove its vitality during this ISSF World Cup. We would like to offer you our full support! I wish all the delegations to reach their goals. Thank you all!”

San Marino’s Shooting Federation President, Mr. Marino VOLPINARI, extended the welcomes of the Organizing Committee, saying to be confident in a successful competition “When the ISSF gave us this competition in 2007, we were at the same time happy and worried. From that moment on we have been working restless, and we are now very proud while welcoming you to this World Cup. Thank you all!”