Like at the Olympic Games: Jin Jongoh of the Republic of Korea won the 10m Air Pistol Men final of the 2013 ISSF World Cup in Granada just three days after finishing atop of the 50m Pistol Men podium.
The Korean champion pocketed his second Gold today, climbing up the scoreboard during the final and outdoing the qualifications' leader, Italy's Andrea Amore, 201.8 to 198.5 points.
Andrea Amore, 25, from Italy, had never competed in an ISSF World Cup final round, before. But the 2007 Deauville's European Champion did not lack in confidence. Entering the round in the lead with a qualification score of 584 point, he shot neck and neck with Jin, finishing in second place with 198.5 points and his first ISSF silver medal around the neck.
Japan's Pistol champion Tomoyuki Matsuda, 37, the winner of the 2010 ISSF World Cup in Sydney, secured the Bronze medal with 175.6 points, outscoring the unlucky home shooter Pablo Carrera, 26, who closed today's elimination final in fourth place with 156.4 points.
Serbia's Dimitrije Grgic, 29, followed him in fifth with 138.2 points, while it was the Olympic Bronze medallist of Athens 2004 Vladimir Isakov who placed sixth with 117.5 points. Ukraine's Oleh Omelchuk, the winner of this year's ISSF World Cup in Fort Benning, left the match at the second elimination, with 97.6 points, while it was Rashid Yunusmetov who was eliminated after the eighth shot, placing in eighth with 76.9 points.
Jin shot an impressive average of more than 10 points per shot, during today's final, but in spite of it the three-time Olympic Champion was not very satisfied with his performance. “Today I did not really shoot at my best today. I struggled during the qualifications, and I have been a bit lucky during the final.”
“I had good feelings, but I shot a number of bad shots. Bad for my standard.”
“I did not train a lot for this event, before coming here. Therefore I have not been really consistent in this event.”
Jin Jongoh is a living legend in the shooting world: with three Olympic titles in his trophy showcase, and a total of five Olympic medals won in Pistol events, he stands out as the most successful Olympic pistol shooter ever.
And through experience he knows how to approach to the qualification path for Rio 2016 starting next year.
“I will now come to compete at the ISSF World Cup Final, in Munich, in November. I want to take it easy and enjoy the match to close this season in the best way, rather than stressing myself...” Jin said, after qualifying to the 2013 ISSF World Cup Final through his victories here in Granada.