USA’s six-time Olympic medalist Kimberly Rhode won her second ISSF world cup gold medal back to back, today, in Changwon, South Korea, where the second leg of this year’s ISSF World Cup Series is held from the 20th through the 29th of April.
The 38-year old American shooter had already won the first world cup stage of the season, in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Today, she shattered her own world record of 56 hits, smashing 58 targets throughout the final to finish atop of the podium ahead of Great Britain’s Amber Hill, and of her teammate Amber English.
“Never give up!” She said, right after the medal ceremony. She had indeed started the qualification series with a frustrating 22-hit series, yesterday morning, and finished in fourth place with a score of 119 targets. But with the new ISSF rules the qualification score is not carried forward into the final, which now consists of 60 targets.
“I am amazed, it just keeps going and I am trying to ride that wave, one world cup after another,” she continued. “I couldn’t be more thrilled, it has been an amazing competition at a beautiful range, here in South Korea.”
“Walking out of here with a new world record wasn’t something that I expected, it’s just something that happens,” Rhode added. “When I was out there, I was focusing on one target at the time, and I didn’t really know where I stood until the very end.”
“At the end of the day, I am humbled by it all, it feels amazing.”
Great Britain’s Amber Hill, 20, followed Rhode in second place with a total score of 55 hits, collecting her second world cup medal back to back, after Guadalajara’s bronze. She bested the second American finalist, 28-year old Amber English, who took today’s bronze medal with 44 hits coming back onto an ISSF podium after missing since 2016.
Italys’ 2010 World Cup Champion Katiuscia Spada, 36, followed the medalists in 4th place with 34 hits, while two first-time finalists - Natalia Szamrej of Poland and Vanessa Hauff of Germany - closed the match in 5th and 6th place with 22 and 14 targets, respectively.
Over 800 athletes from 70 nations have been competing in this ISSF World Cup in Changwon, which also servers as a test event for the 52nd ISSF World Cup in all events to be hosted here in September. The competition will come to an end tomorrow afternoon, when the last medal match - the men’s Skeet final - will be held at 16.30 Korean Standard Time (GMT+9).
Follow the match live on www.issf-sports.org