“I hope they will let me compete at the Games” the 41-year old German athlete said, when only 99 days are left before the beginning of the 2012 Olympic Games.
Germany’s Sonja Pfeilschifter won the first Gold medal of the 2012 ISSF World Cup in all events in London, the official pre-Olympic test event taking place in the frame of the “London Prepares” events series.
The 41-year old world record holder finished on the highest step of the podium with an overall score of 503.0 points. After qualifying for the medal match in second with a score of 398 points, she scored 105.0 points in the final –today’s best final score – climbing back and overtaking China’s Yi Siling at the last shot.
But today’s turned into a bitter-sweet victory for Pfeilschifter, who is currently raked second in the world in this event, had who had qualified for the 2012 Olympics already in 2010.
“My team won’t let me shoot the 10m Air Rifle event at the Games,” the German shooter said, right after the medal ceremony.
“They think I will do better competing only in the 50m Rifle 3 Position event… But I hope that they will change their mind.” She added.
Pfeilschifter competed in the 10m Air Rifle event at four Olympics since 1992, making the finals two times, but never finding her way to the podium. Before the London Games opening ceremony, she still have 99 days and two more World Cup Stages (Milan and Munich) to convince her team managers to let her compete.
“I would love to compete at the 10m event here,” the German Champion said.
“I really like this venue: it’s huge, and looks nice. I just hope it will be warmer at Games time, it has been extremely cold here in these days, especially at the 10/50 meter Qualification hall, and we are not used to that.”
Today’s Silver medal went to China’s World Rank leader Yi Siling, 22, who lost the highest step of the podium at the last shot, when she fired a 9.2-point shot to Pfeilschifter’s 10.2.
The Chinese shooter had made it into the final with a perfect score of 400 out of 400 points, equalling the current world record. That was not enough to keep Pfeilschifter behind, as the German shooter marked the highest final score (105 points) climbing in top.
Austria’s Lisa Ungerank secured the Bronze, finishing on the podium with 500.3 points. After winning a 10-way qualification shoot-off to access the medal match, she scored 103.3 points in the final, winning her first ISSF World Cup medal ever.
One tenth of a point behind her, the 20-year old first-time finalist Paula Wronska of Poland closed the match in fourth with 500.2 (298+102.2) points. She preceded Norway’s Malin Westerheim, fifth with 499.3 (397+102.3) points.
Denmark’s Stine Nielsen took the sixth place with 498.5 (397+101.5) points, while Russia’s Daria Vdovina closed the match in seventh with 498.4 (398+100.4) points.
Serbia’s Ivana Maksimovic closed the match in eighth and last place, with an overall score of 407.0 (397+100.0) after being penalized with a two-point deduction after she failed to report in time for the final match.
The next medal match – the 10m Air Pistol Women final - is scheduled today, at 16.30 (GMT). Follow the match on www.issf-sports.org
MEDALLISTS BEST ACHIEVEMENTS RECORDS:
1st PFEILSCHIFTER Sonja (GER): BEST ACHIEVEMENTS
2nd YI Siling (CHN): BEST ACHIEVEMENTS
3rd UNGERANK Lisa (AUT): BEST ACHIEVEMENTS
COMPETITION RESULTS
http://www.issf-sports.org/shooters/shooter.ashx?personissfid=SHAUTW2206199201