Published on 13 Jun 2013

Cyprus' Double Trap victory feels like a home win to Russia's Mosin.

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Marco Dalla Dea

The Russian Olympic medallist Vasili Mosin secured today's Double Trap Gold shooting on a lyout he knows very well. He aims now at the World Championship and at the World Cup final.

2012 Olympic Silver medallist Vasily Mosin won today's Double Trap Men competition at the 2013 ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Nicosia, Cyprus.

 

And it's a victory which tastes like a home win. “The Russian team has been training here for 15 years, now. I know every stone of this range!” Mosin said, right after the match. The Russian team conducts indeed regular training camps on these sunny layouts. “But that didn't make it easier. Every match has it's own story, and you still have to break a pile of targets to get to the Gold. I am happy that I made it.”

 

The 41-year old Russian doctor led the match since the morning's qualifications, making it into the final phase of the match in the lead with 139 hits. With the new rules, the qualification score is not carried forward into the semi-final. It's a new game. A game that Mosin won with a perfect round of 30 hits out of 30 targets, that lifted him up into the Gold medal match.

There, Mosin met and defeat Italy's Emanuele Bernasconi 29 to 25 hits, only missing one target.

 

At the same time, China's Pan Qiang won the Bronze medal match, outscoring 30 hits to 25 the second Russian finalist Mikhail Leybo. Pan had qualified for the semi-final by passing through a qualification shoot-off, and then scoring 26 targets in the semi-final round. Malta's William Chetcuti and Great Britain's Steven Scott ranked in fifth and sixth place with 25 and 23 hits in the semi-final, respectively.

 

“This has been a great competition, and I fell like home here.” Mosin said. “But now it's already time to look forward. I have two medals missing from my showcase, and I am going for it.”

 

The Russian champion is indeed aiming at the 2013 ISSF Shotgun World Championship in Lima, and at this year's ISSF World Cup Final. Mosin had finished in second at the 2010 World Championship held in Munich, and twice on a World Cup Final podium, winning a Silver and a Bronze in 2005 and 2008.

 

“I have no special preparations in mind. I keep the focus on my targets and go on with my normal training.” And who would change, after today's result?