Just like two years ago, when they pocketed four of the five Gold medals up for grabs, the United States of America finished atop the medal standings in Acapulco, where the second ISSF World Cup stage of the 2017 season just concluded.
Ashley Carroll and Kimberly Rhode were the two shooters who made the American national anthem resound at the Club de Caza, Tiro y Pesca de Acapulco, respectively pocketing the women’s Trap and Skeet Gold medal.
For 22-year-old Carroll it’s the first career World Cup medal, while for 37-year-old Rhode the count says 26. The one she pocketed in Acapulco is the 10th Gold of her career in the Skeet Women.
Caitlin Connor (26) and Frank Thompson (29) both secured a Silver medal: Connor in the women’s Skeet, behind Rhode, and Thompson in the men’s Skeet, behind Marco Sablone of Italy, who earned his country’s only medal in Mexico.
Final medal standings
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA |
2 | 2 | 4 | |
| 2 | ESP |
1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 3 | IND |
1 | 1 | ||
| 3 | ITA |
1 | 1 | ||
| 5 | AUS |
1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 6 | NZL |
1 | 1 | ||
| 7 | CHN |
2 | 2 | ||
| 8 | GBR |
1 | 1 | ||
| 8 | SMR |
1 | 1 | ||
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 15 |
India’s Ankur Mittal claimed the top of the podium in the men’s Double Trap event, while Spanish shooter Alberto Fernandez secured the Gold in the men’s Trap, where he was followed by his teammate Antonio Bailon. Thanks to Fernandez and Bailon’s medals, Spain placed in 2nd position in the final medal ranking.
Medalists by event
| Event | Date | Medal | Name | Nation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trap Men | 20 MAR 2017 | Gold | FERNANDEZ Alberto | ESP |
| Silver | BAILON Antonio | ESP |
||
| Bronze | HEADING Aaron | GBR |
||
| Double Trap Men | 22 MAR 2017 | Gold | MITTAL Ankur | IND |
| Silver | WILLETT James | AUS |
||
| Bronze | QI Ying | CHN |
||
| Skeet Men | 26 MAR 2017 | Gold | SABLONE Marco | ITA |
| Silver | THOMPSON Frank | USA |
||
| Bronze | ADAMS Paul | AUS |
||
| Trap Women | 19 MAR 2017 | Gold | CARROLL Ashley | USA |
| Silver | ROONEY Natalie | NZL |
||
| Bronze | PERILLI Alessandra | SMR |
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| Skeet Women | 25 MAR 2017 | Gold | RHODE Kimberly | USA |
| Silver | CONNOR Caitlin | USA |
||
| Bronze | CAO Yi | CHN |
Only one of the five World Records set in New Delhi has been bested, and both Ashley Carroll and New Zealand’s Natalie Rooney set the new one in the Trap Women event, where they crushed 42 out of 50 targets in the final.
In his re-match against Australia’s James Willett, then, Ankur Mittal crushed 75 clays and equalled the record his rival set in the first stage of the season, while Spain's Alberto Fernandez equalled the one of the men's Trap event, scoring 45 hits.
Finally, in the women’s Skeet final, USA’s Katharina Monika Jacob set a new Junior World Record with 30 target hits.
The season will now continue next month with the ISSF World Cup Stage 3, scheduled in Larnaka (CYP) from April 28th to May 8th.
News and updates about the ISSF competitions are available on the ISSF website and on its social media profiles: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Weibo and Youku.