The 2000 Olympic Champion of Sydney Mikola MILCHEV, from Ukraine, won the Skeet Men event, the last final match of the 2009 ISSF World Cup Stage in Cairo. The Ukrainian athlete shot gold with a total of 148 hits out of 150 targets, after equalling the world record of 125 hits out of 125 targets throughout morning’s qualifications.
This Skeet Men final round turned into an exciting top-level match, as the 2000 and the 1996 Olympic Champion Micholav Milchev of Ukraine and Ennio FALCO of Italy fought neck and neck to secure the first Skeet gold medal of the year.
Milchev enetered the final round with a record qualification score of 125 hits, equalling the world record set by USA’s Vincent Hancock (Beijing’s Olympic Champion) at the 2007 ISSF World Cup in Lonato, Italy, which had been equalled only once so far.
In the six-shooter final round, the Ukrainian athlete managed his two points head-start over Italy’s Falco, and in spite of dropping two targets in fourth and fifth station he managed to grab the Gold medal with a total score of 148 hits. Incredibly, the 41-year old Olympic Champion of Sydney, competing since 25 years, had never won a World Cup gold medal before.
1996 Olympic Champion Ennio Falco claimed Silver after a consistent competition, finishing on the podium with 147 hits out of 150 targets (123+24 in the final).
“What a competition! I tried my best to upset Milchev, but he entered the final round with such record score… it has not be easy, even considering that this is the first world cup stage of the year!” Said the Italian shooter, right after the last shot.
“I have a plan for the years to come” continued Falco, who turned 41 last January “I will try to give my best in ISSF World Cups… the dream is to get a qualification and to participate in the next 2012 Games!”
Bronze medal went to the 2004 Olympic Silver medallist of Athens Marko KEMPPAINEN of Finland, back on a podium today five years after the Games. The Finnish shooter won the struggle for the podium, securing the third place with 146 hits (122+24).
Behind him, the first-time finalist Ivan LOIK of Ukraine (23-year old) finished in fourth with 145 hits (122+23). Antonakis ANDREOU finished in fifth with a total score of 143 targets (122+21) after shooting-off 6 to 5 the Greek athlete Efthimos MITAS, who finished in sixth.
Published on 09 May 2009
Skeet Men – Two Olympic Champions duelled for Gold.
Marco Dalla Dea
One equalled world record, 2 Olympic Champions, 3 Olympic medallists: these were the “numbers” of today’s Skeet Men final match, the conclusive competition of the 2009 ISSF World Cup Stage in Cairo.
