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“I’ve got the Olympics in my sights, then I would like to have a second baby” said the winner, who equalled two World Record to win her third consecutive title. China’s Olympic hope Wei Ning won the shoot-off for Silver, leaving Bronze to USA’s Rhode.

The 2008 Olympic Bronze medallist, Germany’s Christine Wenzel won her third World Title at today’s Skeet Women Final at the 2011 ISSF Shotgun World Championship held in Belgrade, Serbia, from the 3rd to the 14th of September.

The 30-year old German shooter had won the 2007 and the 2009 World Championship editions held in Nicosia and Maribor. Since she did not participate in the 2010 World Champ in Munich, today’s was her third consecutive victory out of three participations.

“No secrets!” She said after today’s final. “I am training hard and I have the best possible coach: my husband Tino.”

“We will go at the next Games together: he just won an Olympic quota at the last European Championship held here in Belgrade, a few weeks ago.” Said Wenzel.

As it had happened in Nicosia four years ago, Wenzel finished on the highest step of the podium by equalling the current Final World Record: 98 hits.

Passing through the qualification with an almost perfect score of 74 hits (an equalled world record), she made it into the final in first place. Then, she hit 24 out of 25 targets in the final, landing on the highest step of the podium with one target of advantage on her followers.

“I missed in the double, at the fifth station. I wasted too much time on the first target, and when I tried to find the second one it was too late…” Christine said.

“Last year I did not participate in the World Championship in Munich as I was pregnant.” Explained the German champion, who then told us about her plans for the next future: “We are planning to have another baby after the Olympic Games. I will try hard to win a medal there, and then I will take some time off to fulfil my family dreams.”

CHINA Vs. USA: SHOOT-OFF FOR SILVER

China’s 2003 World Champion Wei Ning (29) and USA’s two-time Olympic Champ Kimberly Rhode (32) tied in second place with a total score of 97 hits, and met in a shoot-off to decide the Silver and the Bronze.

It was the fourth shoot-off pair to decide the podium placements, as Rhode missed her eighth target, placing in third with 97+7 hits, and leaving the Silver medal to Wei with 97+8 hits.

Following them, Cyprus’ Andri Eleftheriou finished in fourth place. After tying the current World Record of 74 hits out of 75 targets during the qualifications, the 27-year old shooter missed three targets in the final, closing with a total score of 96 hits. Thailand’s Sutiya Jiewchaloemmit (25) placed in fifth with 95 (72+23) hits, the same score of Italy’s Katiuscia Spada (29), today’s sixth.

TEAMS: CHINA ON THE TOP OF THE WORLD

The Chinese team led by the 2004 Olympic Silver medallist Wei Ning (Wei Ning, Zhang Shan and Zhang Donglian) finished atop of the Skeet Women teams’ ranking, with an overall score of 216 hits, setting a new World Record which shattered the previous 214-hit record (scored by the same team in 2007).

The teams’ Silver went to Italy, thanks to the finalist Katiuscia Spada, the 2008 Olympic Champion Chiara Cainero and their teammate Simona Scocchetti, who hit an overall total of 211 clays.

The Bronze medal went to the Slovakian athletes Danka Bartekova, Andrea Stranovska and Minka Zemkova, third with 208 hits.

“I’ve got the Olympics in my sights, then I would like to have a second baby” said the winner, who equalled two World Record to win her third consecutive title. China’s Olympic hope Wei Ning won the shoot-off for Silver, leaving Bronze to USA’s Rhode.

The 2008 Olympic Bronze medallist, Germany’s Christine Wenzel won her third World Title at today’s Skeet Women Final at the 2011 ISSF Shotgun World Championship held in Belgrade, Serbia, from the 3^rd to the 14^th of September.

 

The 30-year old German shooter had won the 2007 and the 2009 World Championship editions held in Nicosia and Maribor. Since she did not participate in the 2010 World Champ in Munich, today’s was her third consecutive victory out of three participations.

 

“No secrets!” She said after today’s final. “I am training hard and I have the best possible coach: my husband Tino.”

 

“We will go at the next Games together: he just won an Olympic quota at the last European Championship held here in Belgrade, a few weeks ago.” Said Wenzel.

 

As it had happened in Nicosia four years ago, Wenzel finished on the highest step of the podium by equalling the current Final World Record: 98 hits.

 

Passing through the qualification with an almost perfect score of 74 hits (an equalled world record), she made it into the final in first place. Then, she hit 24 out of 25 targets in the final, landing on the highest step of the podium with one target of advantage on her followers.

 

“I missed in the double, at the fifth station. I wasted too much time on the first target, and when I tried to find the second one it was too late…” Christine said.

 

“Last year I did not participate in the World Championship in Munich as I was pregnant.” Explained the German champion, who then told us about her plans for the next future: “We are planning to have another baby after the Olympic Games. I will try hard to win a medal there, and then I will take some time off to fulfil my family dreams.”

 

CHINA Vs. USA: SHOOT-OFF FOR SILVER

China’s 2003 World Champion Wei Ning (29) and USA’s two-time Olympic Champ Kimberly Rhode (32) tied in second place with a total score of 97 hits, and met in a shoot-off to decide the Silver and the Bronze.

 

It was the fourth shoot-off pair to decide the podium placements, as Rhode missed her eighth target, placing in third with 97+7 hits, and leaving the Silver medal to Wei with 97+8 hits.

 

Following them, Cyprus’ Andri Eleftheriou finished in fourth place. After tying the current World Record of 74 hits out of 75 targets during the qualifications, the 27-year old shooter missed three targets in the final, closing with a total score of 96 hits. Thailand’s Sutiya Jiewchaloemmit (25) placed in fifth with 95 (72+23) hits, the same score of Italy’s Katiuscia Spada (29), today’s sixth.

 

TEAMS: CHINA ON THE TOP OF THE WORLD

The Chinese team led by the 2004 Olympic Silver medallist Wei Ning (Wei Ning, Zhang Shan and Zhang Donglian) finished atop of the Skeet Women teams’ ranking, with an overall score of 216 hits, setting a new World Record which shattered the previous 214-hit record (scored by the same team in 2007).

 

The teams’ Silver went to Italy, thanks to the finalist Katiuscia Spada, the 2008 Olympic Champion Chiara Cainero and their teammate Simona Scocchetti, who hit an overall total of 211 clays.

 

The Bronze medal went to the Slovakian athletes Danka Bartekova, Andrea Stranovska and Minka Zemkova, third with 208 hits.

China’s Zhang Donglian beat Cyprus’s Panayota Andreou in a shoot-off for Gold, in a shoot-off conducted under the rain, at today’s Skeet Women Final at the 2011 ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Maribor, Slovenia.

Competing in a thunderstorm, China’s 28-year old shooter Zhang Donglian won today’s Skeet Women event, pocketing the Gold medal after a breathtaking shoot-off against Cyprus’ Andreou.

The Chinese finalist, who had made it to the medal match with 72 qualification hits, kept the leadership in spite of missing 3 targets throughout the final match.

Shooting in the worst possible conditions, with the wind blowing, a cold rain dropping, and some hail falling through the lightenings, Zhang ended up with a total score of 94 hits. Then, the Chinese shooter had to pass through a shoot-off, where she met and beat Cyprus’ Panayota Andreou by a narrow 4 to 3 hit to secure the brightest medal.

“I am very happy about this victory, especially in these conditions…” The Chinese shooter said.

“It has been very difficult to shoot in such weather.”

“I am leaving and training in Beijing, and we get very seldom the chance to train with this kind of weather conditions.” Zhang concluded.

The 15-year old Cypriot shooter Panayota Andreou won the Silver medal with a total score of 94+3 hits. The young shooter, at her second international experience, surprised everybody by shooting 24 clays during the final, in spite of the extreme weather conditions. Along with the medal, she was awarded an Olympic Quota place, an entrance ticket to the next 2012 Games in London.

“Panayota is a natural talent,” said her coach, the 2004 Olympic Champion Andrea Benelli of Italy, right after the final.

“She not even 16, and she’s shooting like a pro. I started coaching her last September, and this was just her second participation in a world cup.”

“She has been growing in close contact with the shooting world, as her father is an international shooter since years, but it’s not just that. She has a natural attitude for shooting.” Continued Benelli, mentioning Panayota’s father, Andreu, winner of a World Cup medal just a few weeks ago, in Beijing.

“I will have to make my proposals to the Cyprus’ Shooting Federation concerning the 2012 Games team. She would be my first choice, in this moment.” Concluded Benelli.

The Bronze medal went to Germany’s 2008 Olympic Bronze medallist Christine Wenzel, 29. The German finalist closed the match with a total score of 93 (71+22) hits. Wenzel had already won a Bronze, this year, at the Beijing’s world cup stage.

Slovakia’s 28-year old top-shooter Danka Bartekova closed the match in fourth place, with a total of 92 hits. After making it into the medal match through a shoot-off with 70+6 hits, she marked 22 targets in the final, ending up just one target far from the podium.

She was followed in fifth by Russia’s four time World Champion Svetlana Demina, 50, who closed the match with 92 (72+20) hits, and by France’s Veronique Girardet, 45, who also secured the second Olympic Quota Place awarded today with a total score of 91 (72+19) hits.

592 shooters coming from 77 countries are competing here in Maribor in the fourth and last ISSF Shotgun World Cup Stage of the year, trying to secure an Olympic Quota Place for the 2012 London Games, and a qualification spot at the 2011 ISSF Shotgun World Cup Final, which will be held in Al Ain (UAE) starting on the 30 of September.

The next medal match of this World Cup Stage, the Skeet Men final, will be held tomorrow, Friday the 15, at 19.30 (Slovenian time).

Gold and Silver to USA. Olympic Quota places to Sweden and Australia.

The Olympic Silver medallist of Beijing 2008 Kimberly Rhode of USA secured the brightest medal at today’s Skeet Women final, at the 2011 ISSF World Cup in Sydney, Australia.

 

The 31-year old American shooter made it to the final with the highest qualification score, 72 hits, clearing then the final with a perfect score of 25 hits out of 25 targets to wear the Gold with a total score of 97 hits.

 

It was Rhode’s first international victory, this year. The American shooter, who’s the reigning world champion and the world rank leader in this event, had indeed participated in the first ISSF World Cup stage of the season, in Chile, placing in fifth with 96 hits after an endless shoot-off.

 

“I think we learn something from every experience, and I learned a lot form that final in Concepcion” Rhode said right after the final “I am happy that the outcome of today’s match has been different. I will be competing also at the next World Cup stage, in Beijing.”

Rhode stepped on the podium next to her teammate Caitlin Connor, who finished in second with a score of 96 (71+25) hits.

 

The Bronze medal went to Slovakia’s Danka Bartekova, who followed them in third place with 95 hits. After squeezing into the final through a shoot-off with a qualification score of 71+1+8 hits, the Slovakian shooter climbed up to the third step of the podium by hitting 24 targets in the final.

 

The Olympic Quota places went to Sweden and to the host country, Australia. The first quota was won by Sweden’s 20-year old finalist Therese Lundqvist, the 2009 World and European junior champion. The young shooter ended up in fifth place with a total score of 92 hits, after hitting 21 clays in the final. “I can’t say if I will go to the Games or not.” She said after the final. “The quota goes to the country, and I will have to compete against my teammate Nathalie Larrson to make the Olympic team.”

 

The second Quota went to the host country of the 2011 ISSF Combined World Cup: Australia. It was Lauryn Mark who secured the Olympic pass finishing in ninth place with 70 hits, as all the other competitors already had a qualification card.

 

The 30-year-old, who first shot for Australia in 2002 after moving from the United States, said to win the quota was a great relief.

“I came here with a mission to get a performance qualifying score and try and get that quota place for Australia for the Olympics,” Mark said. “I would have liked to get to the final, but that wasn’t to be today, but to get the quota is great.”

Mark’s third round was interrupted by a storm, but the Australian was unfazed by the delay.

 

“I’ve been in the sport long enough to realise that when there is a break you have to accept it and move on. The targets are the same as when they were before the break.”

Italy’s Spada won the Skeet Women title, stealing the show to the American World Champion Rhode, who was left in second in spite of equalling the world record.

Katiuscia Spada of Italy won the ISSF World Cup Final in Izmir, Turkey, securing the title in the Skeet Women event with a total score of 96 targets.

The Italian shooter finally finished secured a title she had been chasing since her first participation in the Finals, in 2003. Winning the Bronze in 2008 in Minsk, and the Silver last year in Beijing, Spada has literary climbed up to the lead throughout the last three seasons. “I have been thinking about this title for a while. For three years. And it finally came! It feels great to be the champion!” the 28-year old Police office from Fabbro, Italy, said right after the award ceremony.

“Finally, I could find my rhythm. I was as calm as never before throughout the first three series.” Spada said while commenting on her final match. The Italian shooter walked into the final match with a qualification score of 73 hits, after scoring 24, 24 and 25 targets throughout the three qualification series “I managed the pressure, and that was my weak point.”

The Italian shooter stole the show of the World Champion, USA’s Kimberly Rhode, 31, who ended up in second place in spite of equalling the current World record of 74 hits out of 75 targets during the qualifications.

By missing four clays throughout the 25-target final, Rhode slid down in the placement. She finished in second behind Spada with a total score of 95 hits, missing a “golden poker” (Rhode had indeed already won three gold medals – two world cup stages and a world championship title – this year).

“This has been a good season for me. I am only sorry for the World Championship, as I did not grab my chance there.” Commented Spada, who closed the last World Championship in eighteenth place. “I wanna take it easy, now. Some holidays, and then I will think of the next aims!”

The Bronze medal went to the Slovakian shooter Danka Bartekova, who finished on the podium with a total score of 94+5 hits, after shooting-off Russia’s Svetlana Demina (4th with 94+4 targets) and China’s Wei Ning (5th with 94+1 targets)

“Four finals and three podiums is my best result. I would say this has been one of my best seasons.” Commented Bartekova, who won the European Championship in Kazan and a World Championship Bronze medal, this year.

“I walked into the match quite tired. I have been competing everywhere, this year, and I was also involved in the Youth Olympic Games as Youth Ambassador of my country. I am glad the year is over, hopefully I will rest a bit, now.” Continued Bartekova “I have an Olympic Quota Place, so I am more relaxed about next year. I might not travel to all the world cup stages.”

The Olympic Champion, the Italian finalist Chiara Cainero, closed the match in sixth with 91 hits. Qualified with 67 targets after a shoot-off, three points behind the closest opponent, she ended up in last place in spite of hitting 24 targets during the final match.

The next final, the Skeet Men event, will take place tomorrow afternoon, at 1.30 PM (GMT+3). After the third qualification series, the Italian shooter Luigi Lodde leads the match with an intermediate score of 74 hits. Russia’s Valery Shomin and Denmark’s Andres Golding follow him with 73 hits. Follow the match on www.issf-sports.org!