Germany's Wanger won her third consecutive Gold medal in the Women's ISSF Target Sprint event. Over 70 athletes participated in four categories.
Over seventy athletes participated in the ISSF Target Sprint competition held in Munich, Germany, in combination with the ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup, on the 31st of May.
The ISSF Target Sprint is the new shooting “Sport for All” event that combines shooting skills and short-distance running. The competition is conducted outdoor, on a 400-metre track, and with a falling-targets set-up. No special equipments are required to participate, but a pair of running shoes: the organizers provide the targets and the air rifles used during the competition.
The match is fast and thrilling. To win, you need to be a precise shooter, and to run fast. Athletes start with a 400-metre run, to reach the shooting layout where they have to hit 5 falling targets. Once they hit all the targets – no matter how many shots are required – they can leave the shooting bay and sprint for another run around the circuit. After a second stop at the shooting layout, they run another 400-meter lap, leading to the finish line. The first athlete who cross the finish line, wins the match.
Four ISSF Target Sprint events were conducted during the ISSF Wolrd Cup in Munich: Women, Men, Junior Women, and Junior Men.
Judith Wagner of Germany won the Women's ISSF Target Sprint event, coming back atop of the podium for the third consecutive time in three years. The German shooter completed the three 400-metre laps and the two shooting sessions in less then 6 minutes, crossing the finish line in 0:05:49,3.
She was followed by Pavla Schorna of the Czech Republic, who crossed the finish line 10,8 seconds later, in 0:06:00,1. Kerstin Schmidt of Germany took the Bronze completing the circuit in 0:06:13,9.
“The ISSF Target Sprint is such an exciting competition,” Wagner said after the medal ceremony. “It's a short distance, and it's so quick. You can't make mistakes so it's really thrilling. It has been tough, today: Pavla Schorna is a very very good runner, and last year she shot extremely good, so before the match I had the feeling she could win.”
“I definitely like this competition format, it's very interesting. I come from athletics, I used to be a runner. But over the years I learned how to shoot clean and fast, because that's the combination you need to win here. It works really well.”
“I would love to see this competition at the Olympics!”
Anita Flack, competing on her home turf here in Munich, won the ISSF Target Sprint Junior women event in 0:06:05,4, putting some 17,9 seconds between herself and the closest follower, her teammate Laura Kampfhammer, second in 0:06:23,3. Following them, the Bronze medal went to another German athlete, Clara Eckert, who crossed the finish line in 0:06:25,1.
Germany and Check Republic met again in the Men's ISSF Target Sprint final, where local hero Michael Herr clinched the victory with the best time of the day, 0:05:13,7.
By winning the match, he disappointed Marian Valek of the Czech Republic, who chased him since the first run, but eventually finished in second 7,6 seconds behind the winner, in 0:05:21,3. He was followed by the German athlete Tino Hopfe, who took today's Bronze in 0:05:27,4
Another ISSF Target Sprinter from Munich, Korbinian Sautter, shuttered the 5:30 minutes wall to clinch an home victory at the Junior Men event in 0:05:28,7. Once again, it was a Czech athlete who collected the Silver, Jiri Kanta, who finished in 0:05:43,1, preceding Leon Wolff of Germany, who pocketed the Bronze stopping the clock-watch at 0:05:48,2.