Spain’s Trap shooters Antonio Bailon (33) and Beatriz Martinez (31) barely missed the title at last month’s ISSF World Championship Shotgun in Moscow. Now, a few weeks later, they finally climbed atop the Trap Mixed Team podium in New Delhi (IND), claiming the ISSF World Cup Final trophy by crushing 42 out of 50 targets.
After missing three of their first 15 targets, the two Spaniards crushed 27 of the following 28, definitely taking the lead and defending their position against the comeback of Italy’s Giovanni Pellielo (47) and Jessica Rossi (25), who then finished in 2nd position with 40 hits out of 50 and the Silver medal around their neck.
“In Moscow we felt like we didn’t win the Silver, but we lost the Gold,” said Martinez at the end of the medal ceremony. “That’s what they used to say in Spain after the World Championship.”
“It feels great, it’s a liberation. We finally made it!” She concluded. “We didn’t train specifically for this final, it was our first time ever with this format.”
The Bronze medal was awarded to United States’ Derek Haldeman (26) and Ashley Carroll (22), who doubled the result they nailed in Moscow, crushing 31 out of 40 targets and placing 3rd.
Just outside of the medal positions placed the second Spanish team composed by 34-year-old Alberto Fernandez and 30-year-old Fatima Galvez, who concluded with 28 hits out of 35 targets and placed 4th.
Australia’s 25-year-old Thomas Derek Grice and 22-year-old Penny Smith, the reigning ISSF World Champions in this event, left the match after 25 targets, hitting 18 total clays and finishing in 6th place. Five targets later it was the People’s Republic of China’s turn, as Yu Shuo (29) and Wang Xiaojing (25) hit 23 out of 30 targets and took 5th place.
For complete results of the Trap Mixed Team final click here.
The ISSF World Cup Final in New Delhi (IND) will continue tomorrow with three finals: the 10m Air Pistol Women, scheduled at 11:00 am (UTC+5:30); the 10m Air Rifle Men, scheduled at 1:00 pm; and the Skeet Women, taking place at 4:00 pm.
All finals will be streamed live on the ISSF website, on the Federation’s Livestream channel, on its official Facebook page and on the Olympic Channel.
Live results of the competition, news and updates will be available on www.issf-sports.org and on all ISSF social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Weibo and Youku.