Gold and Silver to USA. Olympic Quota places to Sweden and Australia.
The Olympic Silver medallist of Beijing 2008 Kimberly Rhode of USA secured the brightest medal at today’s Skeet Women final, at the 2011 ISSF World Cup in Sydney, Australia.
The 31-year old American shooter made it to the final with the highest qualification score, 72 hits, clearing then the final with a perfect score of 25 hits out of 25 targets to wear the Gold with a total score of 97 hits.
It was Rhode’s first international victory, this year. The American shooter, who’s the reigning world champion and the world rank leader in this event, had indeed participated in the first ISSF World Cup stage of the season, in Chile, placing in fifth with 96 hits after an endless shoot-off.
“I think we learn something from every experience, and I learned a lot form that final in Concepcion” Rhode said right after the final “I am happy that the outcome of today’s match has been different. I will be competing also at the next World Cup stage, in Beijing.”
Rhode stepped on the podium next to her teammate Caitlin Connor, who finished in second with a score of 96 (71+25) hits.
The Bronze medal went to Slovakia’s Danka Bartekova, who followed them in third place with 95 hits. After squeezing into the final through a shoot-off with a qualification score of 71+1+8 hits, the Slovakian shooter climbed up to the third step of the podium by hitting 24 targets in the final.
The Olympic Quota places went to Sweden and to the host country, Australia. The first quota was won by Sweden’s 20-year old finalist Therese Lundqvist, the 2009 World and European junior champion. The young shooter ended up in fifth place with a total score of 92 hits, after hitting 21 clays in the final. “I can’t say if I will go to the Games or not.” She said after the final. “The quota goes to the country, and I will have to compete against my teammate Nathalie Larrson to make the Olympic team.”
The second Quota went to the host country of the 2011 ISSF Combined World Cup: Australia. It was Lauryn Mark who secured the Olympic pass finishing in ninth place with 70 hits, as all the other competitors already had a qualification card.
The 30-year-old, who first shot for Australia in 2002 after moving from the United States, said to win the quota was a great relief.
“I came here with a mission to get a performance qualifying score and try and get that quota place for Australia for the Olympics,” Mark said. “I would have liked to get to the final, but that wasn’t to be today, but to get the quota is great.”
Mark’s third round was interrupted by a storm, but the Australian was unfazed by the delay.
“I’ve been in the sport long enough to realise that when there is a break you have to accept it and move on. The targets are the same as when they were before the break.”