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Finals Trap Men

Slovakia's Varga secured Trap Men trophy at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup Final

ISSF World Cup Final Shotgun · Abu Dhabi, UAE

The 37-year old shooter beat Italy's first-time finalist Valerio Grazini in a shoot-off, needed to assign the medals after they both had finished the Gold medal match with 14 hits each.

Slovakia's Erik Varga won today's Trap Men Final at the 2013 ISSF Shotgun World Cup Final held in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

 

The 37-year old shooter outdid Italy's 21-year old Valerio Grazini 5 to 4 hits in a shoot-off, after they tied 14 to 14 in the Gold medal match.

 

Grazini secured the Silver medal, while his teammate Massimo Fabbrizi pocketed the Bronze beating Great Britain's Aaron Heading in the Bronze medal match 14 to 11 hits. The seven-time World Cup Final winner Giovanni Pellielo of Italy ended up in fifth place with 12 hits in the semi-final, after loosing an endless shoot-off to access the bronze medal match against his teammate Fabbrizi (14 to 13 hits). The same shoot-off that gave the 2004 Olympic Champion Alexey Alipov (RUS) the sixth place with a score of 12 + 6 hits.

 

“It took me a lot of efforts to end up on the podium, here in Abu Dhabi.” Varga said, after shooting for hours under the hot sun of the Emirates.

 

The Slovakian champion had indeed to fight hard to finish on the podium, both against the weather conditions and some of the best shotgun shooters of the world. First he qualified with 119 hits out of 125 targets. Then, he passed through the semi-final with 13 hits, outdoing Aaron Heading in a shoot-off to access the Gold medal match.

 

“Today's it has been a long and extremely difficult competition. Here in the Emirates it's really hot, while in Slovakia it's almost freezing.” Varaga added.

 

“The 12 best Trap shooters of the year were here, competing for this title. I knew that this was not going to be an easy one. But I believed in myself, and I did it!”

 

Varga qualified to participate in the World Cup Final after winning this year's ISSF World Cup Stage in Nicosia (CYP), at the beginning of a season that he considers “the best in my career, so far.”

 

“I hope that the next season will be as good as this one!”

 

“I tried the taste of the medal in Cyprus, and this turned into a motivation for the rest of the year.” Varga said, smiling. “I can't predict the future, but I will try my best to finish on the podium again, next year. I have got the right state of mind: I will be training hard, I will be shooting a lot, and I will come back even more motivated in 2014.” His opponents should better watch him out, Varga is definitely inspired!

 

 

Marco Dalla Dea

 

ISSF Partners