She didn't win, but she can be quite happy about her performance anyway.
Ai Wen Yu, 18, will come back to Chinese Taipei with some good memories from her experience at the ISSF World Cup in Changwon, Korea. In fact, in spite of being the youngest of the lot, Yu entered the 10m Air Pistol women Finals, finishing in 5th with 135.1 points.
This result, even without concerning any medal, is now a milestone for Ai Wen Yu, as it represents the highest point of her career so far: “This was my first time in a major final, and it feels simply great. I had a lot of fun competing here today!”
Plus, it was also the chance for Yu to try the new ISSF rules, which were recently applied. It wasn't a problem for her: "The new format is a great move. - explained the young shooter - Everybody who gets into the final has the chance to finish atop of the podium. It didn't work at its best for me, but I really believe the rules are fair enough, making everyone start from zero.”
From zero, as it was when Yu first started shooting: "I got into this sport about 3 years ago, when I was just 14. My mother invited me to try it, and I just loved it."
Ai Wen Yu can now think of other goals for her future: “I will try to be there for the next World Cup Stages. – the young athlete said - I have big goals to reach, but first I need to practise!"
The ISSF calendar will give Ai Wen Yu the chance to go for it: two Rifle/Pistol events will be held next month in Fort Benning (Georgia, USA) and Munich (Germany).
Ai Wen: now it’s up to Yu!