The 2008 Olympic Bronze Medallist Pejcic ruled today's 10m Air Rifle Women Final in Changwon. Silver went to Serbia's Maksimovic, and Bronze to India's Chandela. Together with fourth-placed Arvidsson of Sweden they also secured a Rio 2016 Quota Place.
Beijing 2008's Olympic Bronze medallist Snjezana Pejcic (CRO) won the 10m Air Rifle Women final on the second competition day of the 2015 ISSF World Cup in Changwon (KOR).
The 32-year old Croatian shooter led the match from the first series right to the last shot, pocketing the brightest medal with 209.1 points.
“This match has been great, wonderful, perfect!” The winner, smiling said after the medal match. “This has been my first final in Air Rifle events since four years.”
Pejcic had indeed won her last ISSF World Cup medal in this event back in 2011, in Sydney. From there on, she focused on the 50m Rifle 3 Position event, winning several world cup medals, and then making it to the final at the London 2012 Games where she ended up in fifth place. Last year, at the 2014 ISSF World Championship, she secured a Silver medal and an Olympic Quota Place for Rio 2016 in the 50m event.
“Having already achieved an Olympic Quota place helps me a little bit. Now I can chill and focus on the technique and on the preparation work.” Pejcic commented.
“It has been a while since I won my last medals in this event. Now I have changed my approach to it, and I went back to my old air rifle. Oldie but goldie!” She added, wearing the Gold medal.
“Hopefully the season will continue in this way. I will come to the next two world cup stages, and I will then focus on the European Games.”
“I am looking forward to it. Finally also Europe has its own continental Games.”
Today's Silver medal went to London 2012's 50m Rifle Women 3 Positions Olympic Silver medallist Ivana Maksimovic, 24, from Serbia.
Maksimovic chased Pejcic throughout the whole final match, eventually ending up in second place with 207.7 points.
She was followed by India's first-time finalist Apurvi Chandela, 22, who claimed Bronze with 185.6 points, and by Sweden's 21-year old Michaela Arvidsson, also competing in her first final match today.
Maksimovic, Chandela and Arvidsson were assigned the three Rio 2016 Olympic qualification slots up fro grabs at today's final.
“Winning a Rio 2016 quota place feels wonderful, and above the quota place this is also my first ISSF medal. I was hoping for one.” Bronze medallist Chandela said.
“The final has been thrilling, because I was competing with the bests in the world. I am glad that I pulled it off. Now I am looking forward to the upcoming world cups.”
The 2014 Asian Champion, Najmeh Khedmati, 18, representing the Islamic Republic of Iran at today's final, closed the match in fifth place with 143.0 points. Chen Dongqi, 26, from the People's Republic of China - an expert 50m Rifle shooter who competed in the 10m Air Rifle Women internationally for the first time here in Changwon - and her teammate Zhao Huixin, 26, followed in sixth and seventh place with 122.4 and 101.6 points, respectively. Singapore's 24-year old Ser Xiang Wei Jasmine was the first to be eliminated after the eighth shot, with 80.1 points.
The ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup in Changwon (KOR) continues now with the 25m Pistol Women Final, which will be broadcasted live this afternoon at 16.00 (Changwon time) on www.issf-sports.org