A first- time finalist pocketed today’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions Women Gold medal, at the ISSF Rifle & Pistol World Cup held in Munich through the 27th of May, leaving the Olympic Champion behind her.
Ildiko Karmacsi, from Hungary, a 22-year old shooter who had never made it to an ISSF final match in this event, finished indeed in first place, defeating titled opponents on the lines of Munich.
Walking into the final match with 591 hits, and a three-point head start on the reigning Olympic Champio Du Li of China, Karmacsi managed her advantage scoring 99.3 points in the final, finishing in first with a total score of 690.3 points. A great result for a shooter ranked 97th in the world, whose best placement had been a 43rd place at last year’s ISSF World Cup here in Munich.
A 10.9-point shot was the thrilling start of Karmacsi’s final round, today. Something that does not happens that often. “A 10.9 is what you’re aiming at, but is not what you are exactly expecting to get. I was already quite nervous, and after that shot I started shaking a bit. Then, I shot an 8.5, so I tried to zero in again.” The young Hungarian shooter said.
“I am not qualified for the Olympic Games. But after this match I made it to the World Cup Final. I will prepare for that. In the meantime, I have to study for my university!” The 22-year old engineering student said, smiling and giving a bite to the giant pretzel which traditionally comes with the medal, here in Munich.
Climbing up to the highest step of the podium, Karmacsi upset the current Olympic Champion, China’s Du Li, who finished in second place with 688.8 (583+100.8) points. The 30-year old world record holder had won her last ISSF medal at the pre-Olympic World Cup in London, in April. But since her Olympic victory, back in 2008, she is missing from the top of the podium in world-class events.
But the shooter scoring the highest score in today’s final was not the reigning Olympic Champion, nor it was the young Hungarian winner. Munich’s spectators cheered up for the home shooter, Barbara Engleder, who paid them off by shooting today’s best final, marking 102.7 points. Starting the match in sixth place with 585 points, she climbed up to the third place, ending up with 687.7 points and the Bronze medal.
“I did not shoot at my best the Standing and Kneeling positions, at today’s qualifications. So I am happy that I could make it to the final.” Engleder said after the final. “The medal came unexpected. But I shot a good final to get up here!”
The second Chinese finalist, the Air Rifle World Champion Yi Siling, finished in fourth behind Engleder with 686.9 (587+99.9) points, loosing one place from her qualification rank. She was followed by Poland’s 30-year old world cup expert Sylwia Bogacka, who closed the round in fifth with 686.0 (586+100.0) points. Great Britain’s 20-year old first-time finalist Jennifer McIntosh came in sixth, with a total score of 685.2 points, after qualifying with 585 points and then scoring 100.2 points in the final. Closing the final rankings, Daria Vdovina of Russia and Adela Sykorova of Czech Republic placed in seventh and eighth place with 684.4 (585+99.4) points and 683.3 (586+97.3) points, respectively.