Two shoot-offs decided today's Double Trap medals

The London Olympic shooting venues keeps on turning into stages of success for young athletes.

1986’s Russian shooter Michail Leybo – the 2006 Junior World Champion – won today’s Double Trap event, shooting a consistent match in a cold and rainy day.

Leybo made it to the final match with 142 hits after the qualification, tied to the 2008 Olympic Silver medallist and two-time world champion D’Aniello of Italy. Shooting head to head right to the last pair, the two of them finished tied with an overall score of 188 hits.

In the following shoot-off – a sudden death tie-breaker to decide the Gold medal – Leybo outscore his Italian opponent 4 to 3 hits, climbing upon the highest step of the podium to receive his first ISSF World Cup ever. Italy’s D’Aniello was left in second with the Silver.

“It hasn’t been easy – the Russian shooter said – the match has been so tied, when he missed a target, I missed a target, we have been shooting neck and neck through the whole match.”

“I am happy I made it at the end. Winning a medal on the Olympic ground feels great.” He added.

Leybo had never finished on an ISSF podium in an open event, before. In 2008, right before the Olympic Games, he had made it into the final at the pre-Olympic World Cup in Beijing, ending then up in fifth place.

Italy also celebrated a second medal, as the four-time World Champion Daniele Di Spigno secured the Bronze at the shoot-off, finishing with a total score of 184+2 hits, and outdoing the reigning Olympic Champion Walton Eller of USA who closed the match in fourth with 184+1 hits.

“I am happy with the third place” Di Spigno said “It’s nice to have two Italian flags on the podium, and statistically winning the pre-Olympic World Cup is not bringing you luck at Games' time.”

USA’s 18-year old first time finalist William Crawford finished in fifth place, with an overall score of 183 hits, while Sweden’s two-time World Cup Final winner Hakan Dahlby closed the match in sixth place with 180 hits.