The 2012 ISSF Rifle & Pistol World Cup Final was officially opened in Bangkok, Thailand, today. After passing through London, Munich and Milan, this year’s ISSF World Cup Series ends up in Thailand, a country that had already hosted the event in 2004, 2007, 2008.
Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and NOC President, His Excellency General Yuthasak Sasiprapha, opened the 2012 ISSF Rifle & Pistol World Cup Final, welcoming the shooting champions to Bangkok’s Shooting Range.
“In behalf of the Royal Thai Government, I would like to welcome you all to our country. We thank the ISSF for entrusting the National Shooting Sport Association of Thailand to organize this event.” The Deputy Prime Minister said.
“We are honoured to host this year’s ISSF World Cup Final in Bangkok. We thank all the sportsman for coming to Thailand to compete in this very important match, and we wish you all success.”
The ISSF Secretary General, Mr. Franz Schreiber, addressed a welcome speech to the participants, saluting the authorities, and thanking the organizers.
“Thailand is a true home of the shooting sport, and we are always very happy to come back to Bangkok on this nice shooting venue. We thank the Royal Thai Government represented by His Excellency Yuthasak Sasiprapha, and the National Shooting Sport Association of Thailand represented here by the Secretary General Dr. Auchai Kanjanapitak” Mr. Schreiber said.
“We are at the end of a long and successful Olympic year. And I would like to tell the participants: be proud to be here! Only the best of the best athletes were invited to participate in this event, and you - our dear athletes - do represent the top class in our sport.” Mr. Schreiber added.
Only the top performers were indeed invited here to compete in this Final. Ninety shooters coming from 34 countries arrived here: the 2012 Olympic Champions, the Olympic medallists, the World Cup title defenders and the best athletes selected throughout this year’s ISSF World Cup Series.
From tomorrow on, they will compete in the 10 Olympic Rifle & Pistol events, trying to secure the ISSF Cups in the last match of the year.
The first medal matches will be staged on October the 24th, when the first three Cups will be assigned at the 50m Rifle Prone Men, the 25m Pistol Women and the 50m Pistol Men events.
Follow the event on: www.issf-sports.org