(MENAFN- The Peninsula) chinthana wasala |
The Peninsula
Italian shooting sensation Gabriele Rossetti yesterday celebrated his birthday by winning a gold medal in men's skeet title on day three of the ISSF World Cup Shotgun Doha 2023 at the Lusail Shooting Range.
The victory also completed Rio Games champion's long-awaited individual haul of Olympic, World Championship and World Cup title wins when he beat familiar rival, the reigning Olympic champion Vincent Hancock of USA with 39 hits out of 40 in the medal round.
Hancock missed two targets and finished with 38 to win the silver medal while Italy's Luigi Lodde completed the podium after finishing the round with 27 successful hits. Egypt's 2022 World Champion Azmy Mehelba finished fourth.
Gabriele Rossetti celebrates after winning the skeet final.
Rossetti, who turned 28 yesterday, was emotional following his maiden individual Skeet title in the ISSF World Cup.
“I'm so happy. I'm so happy. It's my first World Cup win. I am an Olympics champion, a world champion, but I had never won the World Cup. And now I have won this also,” Rossetti, who has now won a total of 17 gold medals across Olympic Games, World Championships and World Cup and World Cup Final tournaments, said.
Kimberly Rhode of the US poses with her gold medal.
“For me, Qatar is a second home and I win my first World Cup here. So thank you Qatar,” the son of former Italian Olympic shooter Bruno Mario, said.
Earlier, in the women's skeet final, American Kimberly Rhode overcame compatriot Samantha Simonton in a thrilling shoot-off after both of them shot 38 in the medal round.
The 43-year-old London Olympics gold medalist Rhode's experience probably made the difference as she beat Simonton 6-5 in the shoot-off.
Italy's Simona Scocchetti won the bronze medal with 27 hits.
ISSF Secretary-General Willi Grill and QSAA President Mishaal Ibrahim Al Nasr with the podium winners of women's skeet.
“This is a wonderful arena and the competition level is so high here,” the victorious Rhode said after the thrilling final round.
“Every detail has been well thought out not just for the athletes, but also for the referees, the coaches. I mean, it's just amazing. So at the end of the day, you have a lot of really fantastic scores and, you know, a lot of medals being awarded. I think we can safely say that we'll be back,” Rhode said.
International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Secretary-General Willi Grill, Qatar Shooting & Archery Association (QSAA) President Mishaal Ibrahim Al Nasr and QSAA Executive Director Jassim Shaheen Al Sulaiti presented the medals to the podium winners.