Twenty years after winning that 1994 World Championship Junior title in Fagnano (ITA), Slovakia's Erik Varga (38) came back atop of the ISSF podium, claiming the Trap Men Gold medal in Granada.
The Slovakian athlete from Sladkovicovo, currently ranked fourth in the world, had made it into the list of the favorites after winning last year's ISSF World Cup Final in Abu Dhabi.
Today's Gold medal came along with an Olympic quota place – one of the three to be awarded in this event here in Granada – lifting Varga toward his third Olympic participation after Beijing and London.
Varga beat Great Britain's 31-year old finalist Edward Ling 5 to 4 hits in a shoot-off tie-breaker, as the two had tied with a score of 12 hits out of 15 targets at the end of the Gold medal match.
Ling pocketed the Silver, as well as the second quota place, claiming his best international result ever as senior athlete.
The title defender, Italy's Giovanni Pellielo, finished in the spotlights, today. The 44-year old Italian shooter pocketed the Bronze medal, beating Jiri Liptak of the Czech Republic 15 to 12 hits in the Bronze medal match.
Pellielo participated in 16 ISSF Wolrd Championships since he started competing in 1990, winning an impressive tally of 7 medals (4 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze), that made him the second most-titled shotgun shooter of the ISSF history behind Australia's Michael Diamond (4 Gold, 3 Silver).
Pellielo also pocketed the third Olympic quota, qualifying him to his seventh Olympic participation (first 1992, last 2012).
“The road leading to Rio is still long. I am happy that I won a quota place for my country, and I am proud to contribute to the Olympic dream of the Italian shotgun team. But I will have to work hard to secure a spot in the 2016 team.” Said Pellielo.
“I won seven world championship medals in my career, but this is a special one.” Giovanni added “This has been the most difficult season of my life. I have lost my father Ugo last year, and I went through a tough period.” Explained the Italian shooter.
“This medal is for my father. And it's for my coach, Albano Pera. He's the person who supported me throughout the last period.”