With a new Final World Record of 198 hits, Wilson won the Double Trap match at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Tucson, and looks forward to the London Games. Malta’s Chetcuti and USA’s Joshua Richmond finished on the podium in second and third place.
The ISSF Shotgun World Cup Stage in Tucson, Arizona, turned into a stage for record performances once again, today, after the three world records scored during last days’ Skeet competitions.
Great Britain’s Olympic hope Peter Robert Russell Wilson, 25, won today’s Double Trap Men final with a new Final World Record score of 198 hits out of 200 targets, shuttering the previous record of 196 hits set by China’s Olympian Hu Binyuan in 2009.
“Great Britain’s Olympic shooting team will be announced on the 2nd of May, but after last year’s results – and after today’s final – I got the feeling that will be going to the Games.” Wilson said with a huge smile on his face, right after the final match.
Wilson turned out to be simply unbeatable, today. The 25-year old shooter made it to the final with the highest qualification score - 148 hits - equalling the World Record established by Russia’s Fokeev at last year’s World Cup Stage in Concepcion, Chile.
Then Wilson zeroed in for the medal match, shooting a perfect round: 50 hits out of 50 targets, for an overall record score of 198 hits, finishing on the highest step of the podium.
“Shooting 148 in the qualification has been fantastic. I had never shot such a score abroad.” He commented.
“I knew it was going to be taught. Chetcuti was just one target behind me, and he’s a great shooter. I tried to take it easy, to be relaxed in the final, and I made it.”
“Shooting a new Final World Record has been great. I am looking forward to London, now.”
Silver to Malta’s Chetcuti
Malta’s flag bearer William Chetcuti, secured today’s Silver medal, confirming to be one of the top double trap shooters of the world.
The 27-year old athlete made it into the final in second place with a qualification score of 147 hits, one target behind Wilson, and hit 47 targets throughout the final match, finishing on the podium with a total score of 194 targets.
Chetcuti had won last year’s ISSF World Cup in Beijing, becoming the first ever Maltese athlete to win an Olympic Quota.
USA on the podium
The American flag finished on the podium, today, thanks to the great performance of Joshua Richmond. The 26-year old former World Champion made it to the final with the lowest qualification score, 143 hits, after shooting-off the reigning Olympic Champ, his teammate Walton Eller, 2 to 1 hits.
Zeroing in, Richmond hit 50 targets in the final, climbing up the scoreboard from the sixth to the third place, to finish on the podium with a total score of 193 hits.
“I made the Olympic team, and I will be going to the Games. That’s the next aim.” Richmond said.
“I won’t participate in the pre-Olympic World Cup in April, because I am having a baby in those days.”
15-years old, and 2 targets from the medals
The second Maltese finalist - today’s youngest competitor Nathan Lee Xuereb, 15 - finished with 191 hits (144+47), closing in fourth just two targets far from the medals. He had never being competing in an ISSF medal match, so far. Shooting internationally since 2009, he placed 48th at last year’s ISSF World Cup in Maribor, and ranks 72nd in the world in the Double Trap event.
Germany’s 30-year old Andreas Loew, the Silver medallist of last year’s ISSF World Championship, closed the match in fifth with a total of 191 (145+46) hits, while the Olympic Bronze medallist of Sydney 2000, Fehaid Aldeehani of Kuwait, finished in sixth with 190 (145+45) hits.
The 2012 ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Tucson, Arizona, continues tomorrow with the Trap events. The next medal match, the Trap Women final, will take place Friday the 30th at 3.30 PM (GMT-7).
Check out the footage of the event at: www.youtube.com/issfchannel