Italian shooters are favourites in both events of the last competition day, but the results of the first Trap competition day put Australia’s Diamond in the spotlights.
Two great competitions are scheduled for tomorrow, the last competition day for shooting, at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Italy’s Niccolò “Nicco” Campriani is aiming at the 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men podium, as he said after winning the 10m Air Rifle Men Silver medal, last week.
The young Italian leads the world ranking after his great successes during the last Olympic cycle. Campriani – who left Italy to study and train at West Virginia University, in the USA, has participated in the 13 World Cups, World Cup Finals and World Championship events since 2009, making it to 11 finals. And when Nicco competes in a medal match, he most certainly makes it to the podium, as numbers can confirm. Out of eleven 50m Rifle 3 Positions finals, Campriani won 8 medals, earning two Gold. His best qualification result (1180 points) and his best final (101.1 points) speak for themselves.
“One point can change the entire history of an Olympic cycle. At the last Olympic Games, one point dropped me out of the final, far from any medal chance,” Campriani said.
The rain affected the Trap Men qualifications, which have started today. “"I scored a perfect 25 in the second round in the rain. I hope it rains tomorrow because I feel very confident shooting in the rain." The two-time Olympic Silver medalist Giovanni “Johnny” Pellielo of Italy – one of the favorite – said.
But the results of the first competition day put in the spotlight the perfect result of Michael Diamond of Australia, the 2-time Olympic Champion of Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000. Diamond scored 75 out of 75 targets, and leads the match. With 17 participations in ISSF events, 9 finals and 2 victories in the last four years, Diamond is definitely the man to beat, tomorrow.
World Champion Massimo Fabbrizi is also in the favorite’s list. The second member of the Italian Trap team finished under the spotlights at the pre-Olympic world cup held here in London by scoring 143 targets, thus finishing in first with two targets of advantage over Alipov, and setting his aims for the Olympics.
The 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men final is scheduled at 13.45, while the Trap Men final is scheduled at 16.00, London time, tomorrow August the 6th.