Published on 27 Aug 2005
Nestruev masters World Cup Final without great preparation
Katharina Mückl, Photo: Wolfgang Schreiber
<b>“I have not practiced for two months, simply because we just had no competitions in Russia during that time”, said Mikhail Nestruev, 36.</b>
This circumstance however, did not derogate the fact that Nestruev has been one of the best pistol athletes for years and today at the ISSF World Cup in Munich, he proved himself again at the Final’s last competition, the 10m Air Pistol event. Nestruev, Olympic Silver medallist of Athens 2004 and qualified for the World Cup Final by his second place at the World Cup in Ft. Benning this year, shot a great final round by taking the lead after starting the final on position three and becoming today’s Gold medallist of the 10m event. In second place followed Tan Zongliang, 33, from China, five times World Cup Gold medal winner between 2000 and 2005, this year, his qualification for the ISSF World Cup Final. “Tan is my friend but at the same time he is my greatest opponent”, said Nestruev about Tan, who could not make up the two missing points after the qualification round during the final. With Beijing 2008 coming, Nestruev commented, “I greatly respect the Chinese athletes and in Beijing they will be at home and we’ll be the guests”.
Today’s Bronze medal went to Ivan Rybovalov, 23, from Ukraine. The young athlete participated for the first time at an ISSF World Cup Final today after his qualification, the Bronze medal at the ISSF World Cup in Changwon this year.