Day-3 of the ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup in Changwon (KOR) kick-off with the 50m Rifle Prone Men final, today.
After shooting an extreme qualification score of 632.0 points - just 0.3-point far from the world record - USA's 2004 Olympic Champion Matthew Emmons (34) led the medal match securing the Gold and a Rio 2016 Olympic Quota place with 208.3 points.
“It has been a great competition, I am really happy with my scores.” Emmons said after the final. “It has been a while since my last world cup medal in this event.”
The US champion had indeed won his last ISSF World Cup Gold in this event in 2007, and his last medal, a Bronze, in 2010.
“I have changed my rifle, and that helped me. I have also been working a lot on it, and it's paying off.”Added Emmons, who scored 78 tens out of 80 shots throughout the qualifications and the final match, to climb atop of today's podium.
“Things have changed a lot since the 2004 Olympic Games – he added – the sport has changed, with the new scoring system and the new finals format in place. And my life has changed too, I have a new son since two years, and we moved to the Czech Republic, where my wife comes from.”
“The main aim of the season is now to secured as many points as I can at ISSF World Cups, in order to gain direct access to the 2016 US Olympic team.” Emmons said.
Today's Silver went to South Korea's flag bearer Kim Hakman, supported by a number of fans here on his home turf. The 39-year old athlete claimed Silver with 206.6 points, and secured the second Olympic quota up for grabs at today's final.
Kim competed neck and neck with Sydney's 2000 Olympic Silver medallist Torben Grimmel of Denmark (39) right to the 17th shot, when the Danish athlete fired a disappointing 9.6-point shot which eventually placed him in third with an overall final score of 186.4 points.
Following the medallist, the 2013 “ISSF Shooter of the Year” Henri Junghaenel (27) from Germany, took the fourth place with 166.2 points, leaving USA's seven-time World Cup medallist Eric Uptagrafft (49) in fifth with 144.3 points.
Japan's first-time finalist Yajima Midori (35) was the fist to be eliminated after the eighth shot, leaving the competition in eighth place with 81.5 points. He was followed by the winner of last year's ISSF World Cup in Beijing, Hou Kai of the People's Republic of China (30), who took seventh place with 101.5 points. India's Chain Singh (26) competing for the first time in this event at world cup level, landed in sixth with 123.6 points.
Day-3 of the ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup held in Changwon (KOR) from the 9th through the 15th of April will continue with the 10m Air Pistol Men Finals, scheduled to take place today at 14.00 (Changwon time). Watch the match live at www.issf-sports.org