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Finals 10m Air Pistol Men

Jin Jong Oh wins the 10m Air Pistol Men Gold, “it’s luck” he says.

XXX Olympic Games · London, GBR

2008 Olympic Silver medallist Jin secured the brightest medal with more than 2 points of advantage on his followers. Italy’s Luca Tesconi won an unpredictable Silver medal, while Bronze went to Serbia’s Zlatic. For the first time in the history of the event, China did not win a medal.

“It’s just luck,” the winner of today’s 10m Air Pistol Men Olympic Final, Jin Jong Oh of Korea, modestly said.

 

“All the competitors here could make it. I made it, I am lucky. And focused.” He stated.

 

Entering into the final with the highest qualification score, 588 points, and three points of advantage on his followers, he turned out to be unreachable.

In spite of firing out some frustrating shots – a series of four 9s – he scored 100.2 points in the final, securing the brightest medal with a total of 688.2 points, with a safe advantage on his closest follower, Italy’s Luca Tesconi.

 

The 32-year old champion had won Silver at the 2008 Olympic Games, and kept on winning all the way to London. Jin scored indeed the highest qualification of the last cycle, with a personal best of 594 points, and one of the best finals, 103.4 points. In addition, he had confirmed to be in great shape at the last ISSF World Cup Stage of the year, held in Munich at the end of May, when he won both the pistol men events.

 

It was not a surprise to see him leading today’s final round, after a great qualification. But the World Record Holder did not seem to be impressed.

 

“I am just trying to stay calm. I have been preparing for months, now. I did not speak with the press, I dedicated myself 100% to the sport, only focusing on our national trials. And the result is paying off.”

 

Tesconi, the Silver you didn’t expect.

Probably, nobody expected him to finish on the podium. And, as he said, to make it to the final “was already quite an achievement”.

 

The 30-year old Italia shooter from Pietrasanta (LU), ranked 27th in the world, had indeed gained a pass for London at the last chance, with a 15th palce at the 2012 European Championship.

 

Passing through today’s qualification rounds with 584 points, he made it to his first international final match. And the medal came unexpected. “I tried to shoot as I am always doing, when I am training back home. I tried to forget about the context, pretending to be in my “bubble”. Well, that worked!” The Italian shooter said, with a smile on his face.

 

Scoring 101.8 points in the final, the first-time finalist ended up on the podium, with a total score of 685.8 points. “Unbelievable!” he said. “I am an Olympic medallist, I have got to call my friends back home and tell them!”

 

Serbia’s Zlatic brought family affairs upon the podium

“My father taught me all I know about shooting, and my brother is my coach now. They are part of this medal.” Today’s Bronze medallist, Serbia’s Andrija Zlatic, said.

 

"I am still not fully aware of how I feel. Tomorrow I may get the hit from it. It depends if I can fall asleep." Continued the shooter, who secured the medal with a total score of 685.2 points after qualifying with 585 points and scoring 100.2 points in the final.

 

"I always shoot last. It's my tactics so that I don't have to listen to other people." He said, commenting on his style in the final.

 

No medals for China, for the first time.

For the first time in the history of this event, China failed to win a medal. China’s medal streak ends at six. Defending Olympic champion Pang Wei (CHN) went into the final in second place but slipped down the rankings. A score of 9.1 with his second shot left him out of the medal positions in fourth.

 

Oleh Omelchuck (UKR) shot strongly at first, moving into second place before an 8.5 and 9.5 put him out of contention for a medal, finishing fifth. 

 

China's Tan Zongliang, ranked world No.1 and favourite for the event, could only manage 581 to finish in 12th place. At the same time, world champion Tomoyuki MATSUDA (JPN) finished 13th with 581.

 

 

 

Marco Dalla Dea

 

ISSF Partners