Published on 11 Aug 2008
Events preview: 10m Air Rifle Men and Trap Women competitions
Marco Dalla Dea
The 10m Air Rifle Men and the Trap Women events are scheduled for today, 11th of August. The two competitions are announced to be tough, and the Chinese team will surely try to enlarge its medal collection in these events.
The 10m Air Rifle Men and the Trap Women competition are scheduled for today, the 11th of August.
10m Air Rifle Men Event
The Olympic Gold medallist of Athens 2004 ZHU Qinan of China will be seeking for his second consecutive Olympic Gold medal in the 10m Air Rifle Men Event, in which he is considered the absolute number one in the world. Statistics place him on the lead, but his chances of victory root much deeper than statistics can tell. Zhu is going to compete in front of his audience, a factor that proved to be determinant for first-class results in the past. He has indeed won the pre-Olympic World Cup held at the Olympic venues last April, shooting in front of a crowded final hall.
Throughout the last four years, ZHU has won two ISSF World Cup Finals (in 2004 and 2007, both held in Bangkok), and five World Cup Gold medals (out of ten participations). During his short but intense sport career he made no mistakes, except for a minor defiance at the last 2006 World Championships, where he missed the title placing in third place.
Potential opponents are Alin George MOLDOVEANU of Romania and Peter SIDI of Hungary, two young shooters that challenged ZHU more then once in the last World Cup seasons and that are ranked second and third in the world, respectively
Trap Women Event
The Trap Women Event is announced to be a battled competition: the top shooters in this event are in good shape, and very close in the statistic. The Italians are the favourites, along with the home team China. Italy’s hope Deborah Gelisio, Silver medallist at the Games of Sydney 2000 in the now discontinued Double Trap Women event, had a few health problems at her arrival in Beijing, and had to pass four days at the local hospital. She did not took part in the Opening Ceremony, and is said to be fully recovered now. She will have to face Daniela DEL DIN of San Marino, leader of the World Ranking in this event, who is also ready to give her best in a possible final.
China will cheer for Yingzi LIU, the shooter who dominated the 2007 season to win the ISSF World Championships held in Cyprus. She is seeking her first Olympic medal.
10m Air Rifle Men Event
The Olympic Gold medallist of Athens 2004 ZHU Qinan of China will be seeking for his second consecutive Olympic Gold medal in the 10m Air Rifle Men Event, in which he is considered the absolute number one in the world. Statistics place him on the lead, but his chances of victory root much deeper than statistics can tell. Zhu is going to compete in front of his audience, a factor that proved to be determinant for first-class results in the past. He has indeed won the pre-Olympic World Cup held at the Olympic venues last April, shooting in front of a crowded final hall.
Throughout the last four years, ZHU has won two ISSF World Cup Finals (in 2004 and 2007, both held in Bangkok), and five World Cup Gold medals (out of ten participations). During his short but intense sport career he made no mistakes, except for a minor defiance at the last 2006 World Championships, where he missed the title placing in third place.
Potential opponents are Alin George MOLDOVEANU of Romania and Peter SIDI of Hungary, two young shooters that challenged ZHU more then once in the last World Cup seasons and that are ranked second and third in the world, respectively
Trap Women Event
The Trap Women Event is announced to be a battled competition: the top shooters in this event are in good shape, and very close in the statistic. The Italians are the favourites, along with the home team China. Italy’s hope Deborah Gelisio, Silver medallist at the Games of Sydney 2000 in the now discontinued Double Trap Women event, had a few health problems at her arrival in Beijing, and had to pass four days at the local hospital. She did not took part in the Opening Ceremony, and is said to be fully recovered now. She will have to face Daniela DEL DIN of San Marino, leader of the World Ranking in this event, who is also ready to give her best in a possible final.
China will cheer for Yingzi LIU, the shooter who dominated the 2007 season to win the ISSF World Championships held in Cyprus. She is seeking her first Olympic medal.