China’s Liu Yingzi won Gold, beating Japan’s Suzu and Slovakia’s Stefecekova. Five out of today’s six finalists came from Asian countries.
The 2009 ISSF World Cup Final winner Liu Yingzi of China secured Gold at the Trap Women final, propelling the Chinese shooting team atop of the overall medal standings of the ISSF World Cup in Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun events in Beijing.
The 39-year old athlete had won the 2009 World Cup Final held here in Beijing, shooting with ease in spite of the snow falling over Beijing. Five months later, she ruled over the Olympic range once again, defeating titled opponents in a breathtaking final round.
Entering the match in the lead with 73 qualification hits, the home shooter missed on her second and third final targets, loosing her advantage and starting a neck and neck fight for Gold against Japan’s Suzu Keiko and Slovakia’s Zuzana Stefecekova.
The three athletes exchanged position more than once during the final round, and the last shots turned out to be decisive for the podium placements.
The Olympic Silver medallist of Beijing, 26-year old Stefecekova from Slovakia, missed four targets in a row in the last part of the round, dropping down in third place. The world record holder finished with a total score of 89 (71+18) hits and the Bronze medal. She had won her last ISSF medal at last year’s World Cup Final here in Beijing, when she had placed second.
Japan’s Suzu Keiko, 31, currently ranked 50th in the World, lost her chance to finish atop of the podium as she missed her very last target, landing in second place with a total score of 90 (71+19) targets. Suzu, an Asian Championship’s multi-medallist, had claimed her last World Cup medal in 2001, in Seoul.
Taking advantage of her opponents’ mistakes, China’s Liu Yingzi cleared the last three targets, ending up in first place with a total of 91 (73+18) hits. The 2009 World Cup Title holder, ranked fifth in the world, stands now as one of the favourite shooters for the next ISSF World Championship in all events, to take place in Munich next August, where the first 2012 Olympic Quotas will be assigned.
China’s Wu Cuicui, Taipei Lin Yi Chun and People’s Republic of Kora’s Pak Yong Hui were also part of the match, which saw the Asian Shooting Confederation as the main protagonist. They closed the final in fourth, fifth and sixth place, respectively.