Since 2011, the Belarusian Champion reigns unbeaten. Climbing from the third place, he won today’s World Cup match in Milan, placing his sights on the Olympic Games. After winning two Olympic Bronzes in 2000 and 2004, is now his moment to go for the Gold?
Again him, again on the highest step of the podium, Belarus’ Sergei MArtynov won the 50m Rifle Prone Men event, the last medal match of the 2012 ISSF Rifle & Pistol World Cup in Milan.
The 43-year old champion is unbeaten since 2011. Last year, the world’s #1 ranked Prone shooter won two World Cup Stages, in Munich and Changwon, and then the ISSF World Cup Final, held in Wroclaw. This year, he started off the Olympic season by winning the Gold medal at the “London Prepares” ISSF World Cup conducted at the Royal Artillery Barracks, the 2012 Olympic venue, with ease.
And today, at the second ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup Stage of the year, Martynov simply repeated himself. Staring the final match in third place with 597 points, the Belarusian shooter climbed a position after the other, finishing in the lead with an overall score of 701.1 points (597+104.1).
“It’s normal, I just follow my routine, and I would say I did not even shoot at my best, today.” The winner said, with his usual ease.
Getting closer to the London Olympics, Martynov will shoot his last world-class match before the Games next week, in Munich, at the last ISSF World Cup Stage of the year. Is there somebody who can beat him? The Belarusian champion makes no mistery of his aim: the Olympic Games. After winning two Bronzes in Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, and making the final in Beijing 2008, the 44-year old Rifle Prone reigning king feels it’s finally his time to get atop of the highest podium of the world.
USA’s McPhail closes in fourth after leading the qualifications
It was an unlucky day, for today’s qualification’s leader, USA’s Michael McPhail, who had won Bronze at first 2012 World Cup Stage in London, finished out of the podium. After scoring 101.5 points in the final, he slid down in fourth place, where he closed the match with 699.5 points.
Silver to Graff (FRA) and Bronze to home hero De Nicolo (ITA)
Climbing up to the podium, the Silver and the Bronze medal went to France’s Cyrill Graff and to Italy’s Marco De Nicolo, with 700.9 and 699.8 points, respectively.
Milan’s 50-meter shooting hall burst into applauses for De Nicolo, the 35-year old home hero, competing on his home turf. After qualifying with 597 points in fourth place, he climbed up in fourth overtaking McPhail by shooting 102.8 points in the final, for a total score of 699.8 points.
“Milan it’s a difficult shooting range. It’s never easy to understand how the wind is going to affect the shots. I have a bit of experience on this shooting range, and I made it through quite nicely.” De Nicolo said.
“I am now looking forward to the next ISSF World Cup Stage, in Munich, next week. And then the Games, which are in my sights.”
The 50m Rifle Prone Men event concluded indeed the 2012 ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup Stage in Milan. The ISSF World Cup Series will now move to Munich, where the last Stage will take place starting from next Monday. The first final matches are scheduled to take place on Wednesday the 23rd. Follow the competition on www.issf-sports.org and on www.youtube.com/issfchannel