The 26-year old shooter from Plzen led the qualification rounds with 588 points, and then managed her leadership with four good final series, scoring 202.4 points and totalizing 790.4 points. Too far ahead to be reached by her opponents, which were left almost three points behind her.
“This medal counts like and Olympic Gold to me.” Maruskova proudly stated right after the match. She had been finishing in second at last year’s World Cup Final in Munich, and qualified to participate in this year’s edition by winning a Bronze medal at the Munich’s World Cup Stage.
“The shooters competing here have been selected throughout the whole World Cup Series, they are the top shooters, so to win here means to be the number one in the world. – The Czech shooter added – I can’t say how great I feel!”
“I have a Quota Place, and I feel I am shooting good, I feel I have been shooting good here today. So, the goal for the next year is clearly set: I am going for the Olympic Games.” Continued Lenka, talking about her aims for the 2012 season.
The Silver medal went to Georgia’s 1988 Olympic Champion Nino Salukvadze, the title defender, who had won last year’s ISSF World Cup Final held in Munich.
The 42-year old Georgian shooter passed through the qualification rounds with 582 points, and then in the final she overtook Bulgaria’s Maria Grozdeva by scoring 205.8 points, eventually finishing on the second step of the podium with 787.8 points.
The Bronze medal was won by the 2008 Olympic Champion Chen Ying of China , who closed the match in third with 786.9 (580+206.9) points, after marking an exceptional score in the final.
The two-time Olympic Champion Maria Grozdeva of Bulgaria placed in fourth place with 786.5 (583+203.5) points. Mongolia’s Otryad Gundegmaa followed in fifth place with 783.9 (581+202.9) points.
The reigning World Champion, Russia’s Kira Klimova, landed in sixth place with 782.0 (581+201.0) points, followed by the 2004 Olympic Gold Olena Kostevich of Ukraine and by the Bulgarian finalist Antoaneta Boneva with 779.3 (579+200.3) points.