Italy's Petra Zublasing, 25, became the new 10m Air Rifle Women World Champion, today, at the 51st ISSF World Championship in Granada, Spain.
The Italian athlete claimed gold with 207.1 points, beating the reigning Olympic Champion Yi Siling (CHN) by 0.3 points at the last shot after a thrilling final match.
“I still can't believe that I made it.” Zublasing said.
“I was shaking. I started off with some bad 9s, and I was sure I was going to be eliminated. At that point, I calmed down and tried to at least close the match in a decent way.”
That was the turning point of her final “I shot faster, and somehow that worked for me. I started climbing up, and... I still don't know how I ended up in first.” The Italian shooter said.
After ranking in eighth and seventh place through the first two three-shot competition series, she gained positions series after series, landing in first place after the 19th shot with a narrow advantage of 0.1 on Yi Siling. With a great last shot (10.3) she outscored her Chinese opponents (10.1, total: 206.8), achieving her best international result ever and pocketing a Rio 2016 Quota place.
“Of course I am very happy, but winning was not the main aim.” Zublasing commented. “I am trying to live zen: I am not focusing on the results, and I want to enjoy every moment.”
The Italian athlete had finished in 35th place at the last ISSF World Championship in Munich, in 2010.
“Many things have changed in the last four years. I have been in the USA for one year, studying and training at the West Virginia University, I have been living my life... basically, I am changed. I am stronger now.”
“I have learned how to get out of difficult moments.”
Winning this ISSF World Championship is great achievement, but it's also a starting point, she said.
“There's still a lot of work to do, and I have two years in front of me to find the ideal conditions to get ready for Rio.”
Today's Bronze medal went to Germany's Sonja Pfeilschifter, 43, a two-time world champion, who scored 185.9 points to finish on the podium. She won a quota place for Rio 2016 as well, but she won't use it. The German champion has indeed announced her retirement after a 25-year long shooting career.
There were six Olympic quotas up for grabs at today's air rifle final.
Zhang Bin Bin, 23, from the People's Republic of China, won the fourth quota with 164.3 points, preceding Serbia's 27-year old Andrea Arsovic, who ended in fifth place with 143.3 points.b
Stine Nielsen, 23, from Denmark, ended up in sixth place with 122.7 points, pocketing the sixth quota place, gaining a pass for her second Olympic Games.
India's Ayonika Paul, 21, a Bronze medallist at this year's ISSF World Cup Stage in Maribor, placed in 8th with a final score of 80.9 points. The 50m Rifle 3 Position World Champion of Munich 2010 Barbara Engleder, 31, from Germany, followed her two shots later, taking the seventh place with 101.7 points.