(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
The 2008 and 2012 Olympic Silver medallist Rehak Stefecekova of Slovakia won the first gold medal of the Qatar Open Shotgun championship yesterday at the Losail Shooting Range.
The 33-year-old withstood the challenge of veteran LiudmilaPshenichnikova of Russia to clinch the top spot in the gold medal shoot-out.
Young upcoming shooter from Russia IuliiaTugolukova took the bronze. Stefecekova was delighted by the win in Qatar.
'This is a second home for me. I love the range. Happy to start the season with a win. Delighted to take the gold from Qatar, said the gold medal winner.
'Every year we come to Qatar to take part in the pre-season training at the Losail Shooting Range, as it is winter season back home in Slovakia. We enjoy training here and it prepares us for the season ahead.
Stefecekova had a perfect start in the qualifiers and topped the score sheets and continued in the same vein in the final round.
In the final round in which six qualified, Stefecekova and Pshenichnikova finished on top forcing a shoot-out for the top position leaving Tugolukova and New Zealand's Natalie Rooney to train their guns on the bronze medal.
Tugolukova hit the bull's eye finishing with a combined score of 30 while Rooney had 25 against her name.
Pshenichnikova was happy with the silver medal, her first medal after a gap of four years.
Today, the final of the men's Trap will be held from 3pm. Hosts Qatar along with Russia have 49 shooters taking part in the championship, the highest number among the 32 countries taking part in the nine-day event. Kuwait has 32 shooters in Qatar, while 32 marksmen will try their luck for Kazakhstan.
The 2012 London Games bronze medallist Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah will lead Qatar challenge at the home event.
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