The 2004 Olympic Champion Olena Kostevych starts off the 10m Air Pistol Women event as the favorite, together with the reignin Olympic Champion Guo Wenjun fo China.
The 27-year old champion from Ukraine Kostevych won the Athens’ Olympics eight years ago, and then lost that “magic touch” for the target. At the following Olympics, in 2008, she landed in place 31. But now things have changed, and she’s returned to win. For the last two years, Kostevych has climbed back in the world ranking to the top by winning six ISSF World Cup medals between 2011 and 2012, and earning Gold at the last ISSF World Cup Final in Wroclaw last year.
The current Olympic Champ, China’s Guo Wenjun hasn’t been doing as well in the last season, and that’s why the 28-year old shooter slid down in the world ranking. But she is still one of the best pistol shooters of the world, and she has been training for months, willing to defend her title.
Lenka Maruskova (CZE) are among the biggest obstacle for Kostevych and Guo, together with the current World Champion, Serbia’s 26-year old Zorana Arunovic. The young sharpshooter won the last ISSF World Cup Stage of the year held in Munich, with about 5 points of advantage over her followers, returning to the top of an ISSF podium after a one-year absence.
France’s Olympic hope Celine Goberville, ranked sixth in the world, will also be competing in both matches. She participated in 13 ISSF events throughout the last four years. And when she participates, there is always a good chance that she will enter the final (10 finals in the last Olympic cycle) and on then on the podium (three medals, one victory since 2009).