The first Trap Mixed Team gold medal in the history of the ISSF World Cup was awarded to Finland, who climbed on top of the podium in Guadalajara (MEX) with Satu Makela-Nummela and Vesa Tornroos.
Despite opening their final by missing four of their first ten targets, the two Finnish shooters followed with an impressive streak of 34 consecutive hits, climbing up from the 5th to the 1st position and building a comfortable lead that allowed them to claim the gold medals with 44 hits out of 50 targets.
Being the first official score recorded, Finland’s 44 is also the new World Record in this event.
People’s Republic of China’s Zhang Xinqiu and He Weidong — bearers of the highest qualification score along with Makela-Nummela and Tornroos — secured the silver medal with 41 total hits, missing three of their last ten clays and failing to take advantage of their rival’s few mistakes.
The podium was then completed by Aeriel Alease Skinner and Mick Alton Wertz of the United States of America, who took bronze by hitting 33 out of 40 targets.
Another Chinese team composed by Wang Xiaojing and Chen Yuxi placed at the feed of the podium, taking 4th place with 28 crushed clays out of 35.
Alessandra Perilli e Gian Marco Berti of San Marino followed in 5th place with 22 hits out of 30, while Italy’s Lucia Palmitessa and Emanuele Buccolieri were the first couple to leave the match, at the 25-target mark. The two Italian youngsters finished in 6th place and crushed 19 clays.
The ISSF World Cup in Guadalajara (MEX) will continue tomorrow with two more finals: 50m Rifle 3 Positions Women, scheduled at 12:45 pm (UTC-6:00), and the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men, taking place at 2:45 pm.
The final will be streamed live on the ISSF website, on the Federation’s Livestream channel, on its official Facebook page and on the Olympic Channel.
Live results of the competition, news and updates will be available on www.issf-sports.org and on all ISSF social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Weibo and Youku.