News

Finals Skeet Women

Danka Bartekova is back, 'fully focused on Skeet again'

ISSF World Cup Shotgun · Tucson, USA

The Slovakian Olympic Bronze medallist won the Skeet Women Gold in Tucson, coming back atop of an ISSF podium after two years. And she set clear goals: “I will focus on shooting, and get ready for the World Championship”

Danka Bartekova is back. The 29-year old Olympic Bronze medallist of London 2012 won yesterday's Skeet Women final at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Tucson, Arizona, USA, beating Wei Meng of the People's Republic of China 14 to 13 hit in the Gold medal match.

Bartekova led the competition since the qualification, making it to the semi-final with 73 hits. Then she advanced to the Gold medal match with 15 hits in the semi-final, after beating the US finalist Kimberly Rhode by 4 to 3 hits in a shoot-off.

 

The reigning Olympic Champion Rhode, 34, eventually finished on the third step of the podium, beating her teammate Brandy Drozd, 20, in the Bronze medal match with a score of 14 hits in the match and 4 hits in the shoot-off.

 

“I really needed to win a world cup and to feel I am back again. It took some time to get used to the new rules.” Bartekova said. “I have also changed my equipment a little. I have a new stock since a week and I am really happy about it.”

 

The Slovakian sharpshooter had won her last world cup stage back in 2012, before the London Olympics. After the Games, the Skeet competition format was changed. At the same time, Danka was elected as a member of the IOC Athletes Committee. New rules and new duties kept Bartekova far from the podium, in 2013. But things have changed now, she said.

 

“Being a member of the IOC Athletes Committee is a great honor, a wonderful experience, and at the same time it means that I have a lot of duties. Last year I've dedicated most of my time to that. Now I am fully focused on shooting again, and I will be at least until September. I am here, I have been training for the new finals, and I am ready to go for the ISSF World Championship.”

 

The ISSF World Championship in Granada is indeed the main goal of all international shooters. There, the next September, the first qualification slots for the next Games will be assigned to the best athletes.

 

“Before the London Games, I won a quota place at the first qualifying competition. I really want to do that again, this year, at the World Championship.”

 

Her opponents are advised: Danka's back.

Marco Dalla Dea

 

ISSF Partners