“It feels great to come back after a bad Olympics” the American World Cup Final winner said, pocketing the Gold medal with 192 hits in Maribor, today.
USA’s Joshua Richmond won the 2012 Double Trap Men ISSF World Cup title, at the ISSF World Cup Final held in Maribor, Slovenia, today.
The American shooter had qualified for this final by winning this year’s ISSF World Cup Stage in Lonato, Italy, and by placing in third at the ISSF World Cup Stage in Tucson, Arizona.
Today, the 26-year old athlete shoot solidly, scoring 145 targets during the qualifications and entering the final match in the lead, with a one-target lead over his followers.
Managing his head-start, he clinched 47 targets in the final, and finished in first with a total score of 192 hits to win his first World Cup Final title.
“The medal is for all my family, friends and supporter!” Richmond said, after the award ceremony.
“It feels great to come back after a bad Olympics and be on top of the podium again.” Richmond said. Last August, he had finished in 16th in London, at his first Olympic participation.
“I'm very happy, as this is my first ISSF World Cup Final medal. The targets were difficult today, with a lot of variation due to the wind and the machines.” He added.
“Overall I am extremely happy with this result.”
Richmond won a neck and neck race against India’s Sodhi and Kuwait’s Aldeehani, to finish upon the highest step of the podium, today.
Ronjan Sodhi, the winner of the last 2010 and 2011 ISSF World Cup Finals, ended up in second place with a total score of 191 hits, just one target behind him. Qualified with 144 hits, the Indian champion tied Richmond as he missed his very first target, but then slid back in second on his 17th pair.
Today’s Bronze medal went to Kuwait’s two-time Olympic Bronze medallist Fehaid Aldeehani, who closed the match in third with 190 hits. The 45-year old shooter had already won two ISSF World Cup Final Bronze medals in 2000 and 2001.
2012 Olympic Bronze and Silver medallist, Vasilyn Mosin of Russia and Hakan Dahlby of Sweden, finished in fourth and fifth place with 187 and 186 hits, respectively, while the London Olympic Champion Peter Wilson did not participate in the Final.