Day-2 of the 2019 ISSF World Cup in New Delhi has been action-packed Sunday, with three finals contested at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range.
In the first match of the day, the 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men event, it was Hungary’s 22-year old Istvan Peni who won gold and an Olympic quota.
And he did it at the last shot, finishing atop of the podium with a thin margin of 0.1 points on Russia’s Olympic silver medalist Sergey Kamenskiy.
Through the victory, he also secured an Olympic quota place: a ticket to Tokyo 2020.
“Today’s victory feels amazing!” Peni said, right after the final. “This was my second chance - after the world championship - to win an Olympic quota place. And I made it.”
“I am extremely satisfied and happy of my results. In 2017 I won the world cup final, in 2018 I won medals at every world cup stage, and today I won the first gold medal of the season. I can’t believe what’s happening to me, it’s just great!”
“I was very happy to compete against such a strong shooter and such a good person as Kamenskiy is,” Peni continued “In the end I won by 0.1 points. You can tell that this has been a very exciting match.”
Silver went to Rio 2016 Silver medalist Sergey Kamenskiy, 31, of the Russian Federation. Italy’s Marco De Nicolo followed in Bronze position. De Nicolo also secured the second Tokyo 2020 spot, as Kamenskiy had already won one when he became the world champion in Changwon, last year.
The following 10m Air Pistol Men final turned into a great success of the home country, India, as 16-year old Chaudhary Saurabh claimed gold at the 10m Air Pistol Men event.
The Indian sharpshooter turned out to be unbeatable, today, thanks to a new world record score of 245.0 points, that won him the gold medal, as well as a Tokyo 2020 Olympic quota place.
Saurabh said: “Winning a competition on my home turf is something unique. It makes me really happy. I think I couldn’t have a better opportunity that this.”
The young athlete is not new to success. He won almost all international competition he participated in. Out of 9 international matches, he won six gold medals, and one silver. Among his most prestigious trophies, he can count a Youth Olympics title won in Buenos Aires last year, a Junior World Champion title, one Asian Games title and two Asian Championship titles.
“If I made it, it’s because of the support of my family, and the guidance of my coaches,” he commented. I started shooting when I was a kid. There was a shooting range in my village. I gave it a try, and I was hooked by the sport. My coach became my guru, my role model, and I worked hard.”
To finish upon today’s podium, he beat Serbia’s Damir Mikec, who collected the second Olympic ticket up for grabs at today’s final. Following them, today’s Bronze went to the 2008 Olympic Champion Pang Wei, of the People’s Republic of China, who closed in third place.
In today’s third final match, 21-year old Veronika Major of Hungary claimed the 25m Pistol Women victory, with a record score of 40 hits out of 50 possible targets. Along with the medal, she pocketed also an Olympic quota place for Tokyo 2020.
China’s Zhang Jingjing won the second quota awarded today, as she finished in second place. To grab the Olympic pass, the Chinese shooter had to go through three shoot-off series against Iran’s Haniyeh Rostasmiyan, who eventually placed in third.
The 2019 ISSF Wolrd Cup in Rifle and Pistol events in New Delhi will continue tomorrow, 25th of February, with the 10m Air Rifle Men Final.
Watch the match live on www.issf-sports.org and on the ISSF social media platforms: Facebook, YouTube, and LiveStream, starting from 14.00 (GMT+5.30).