Brandy N. Drozd of the United States of America claimed her first-ever international gold medal at today's Skeet Women final, at the ISSF World Championship in Granada.
The 20-year old shooter, ranked third in the world, beat Great Britain's Elena Allen 14 to 13 hits in the Gold medal match, pocketing one of the three Olympic quota place up for grabs today.
“It feels great! It's the first time, I never had a Gold before.” Said Drodz.
“I have been traveling for several years now, but I had never had a year like this.”
“Winning a quota for the US was my goal for Granada.”
“My ultimate goal is the Olympics, at least I know that my country can go, now. Hopefully I will make the team for Rio.” The US champion added. The qualification slot goes indeed to the country, which then selects the team for the Games.
“My three rounds of qualification went smooth. And I started off the final with a 16, a perfect score, and the 14 in the medal match worked out in my favor.” Drodz added, commenting on her match.
“I definitely felt the pressure of the final, I was a bit shaky, but I took some deep breaths and I focused on my goals. Luckily I made it through.”
The 2012 Olympic Bronze medallist Danka Bartekova, 29, from Slovakia, took today's Bronze medal, as well as the third available quota place.
On her way to the podium, she had to go through two different shoot-offs. She lost the first one, conducted after the semi-final, when she tied Elena Allen with 15 hits. Bartekova scored one target, Allen hit 2 and advanced to the Gold medal match.
Bartekova's second shoot-off happened at the end of the Bronze medal match, when she ended up in a tie with Albina Shakirova of the Russian Federation, with 14 hits. The Slovakian shooter did not miss her second chance, and made it through with 16 hits to Shakirova's 14, pocketing the third available quota place and the medal.
“Winning a quota place is a big relief for me.” Bartekova said.
“It has been a tough match. The Bronze medal match was all about the nerves. I am happy I turned out to be the strongest.”
“I really hoped for a medal. I was on the hedge, from the beginning right to the end, willing to win a medal and to secure a quota place.”
“I have done everything I could to prepare in the best way for this World Championship. I gave up many meetings and unfortunately I was not able to travel to Youth Olympic Games, which is sad because I really wanted to go there. But I knew I had to prepare well for the Worlds: I only had one chance.” Added Danka, who's also an IOC member, as part of the Athletes Committee. “I am happy that the preparation payed off.”
Following Shakirova (fourth), Chile's Francisca Crovetto Chadid and Cyprus' Andri Eleftheriou took the fifth and sixth place with 11 hits each after the semi-final.