Italy's Double Trap specialist Daniele Di Spigno came back atop of an ISSF podium 14 months after winning his last world cup medal in Acapulco. And, on the road to Rio 2016, he set three goals to achieve.
Italy's two-time World Champion Daniele Di Spigno won the Double Trap Gold medal match at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Almaty, Kazakhstan, today, pocketing his ninth ISSF World Cup Gold since 1997.
The 39-year old Italian shooter beat USA's 28-year old finalist Joshua Richmond by 30 to 28 hits in the Gold medal match. Richmond had already finished on the podium at the first world cup stage of the season, in Tucson, USA, where he had also won a Silver medal. Di Spigno had finished in sixth that day.
Today's Bronze medal went to Vasily Mosin, the 42-year old Russian shooter ranked first in the world in this event. Mosin beat Hungary's Roland Gerebics (34) in the Bronze medal match by 28 to 26 hits, after passing through the semi-final with 28 hits.
China's 2008 Olympic Bronze medallist Hu Binyuan and Qatar's first-time finalist Hamad Almarri ended up in fifth and sixth place, with 28 and 27 hits after the semi-final, respectively.
Di Spigno said: “It has been a great competition: I shot a 29 in the semi-final and then a 30 in the Gold medal match. It has been my best performance since a while.”
“The new rules changed the double trap event's face. But I have been training for that, and all the hours I have spent at the shooting range are paying off now.” Di Spigno added, speaking then about his plans, amid the 2014 season. “Next step: the World Championship. That's the most important competition of the year, as that's a qualifier for Rio 2016.”
Di Spigno won two ISSF World Championships (1999 and 2002), and participated in all Olympic editions from Sydney 2000 right to London 2012. Now Rio 2016 is in his sights, and this could be his last chance to eventually climb up the Olympic podium.
“I have three goals to achieve, one after the other. First, I have to win a quota place for the next Games. Second, I have to get to Rio in shape. And third, of course, I want to finally win an Olympic medal!”