Published on 11 Aug 2008
Trap Women Final: MAKELA-NUMMELA wins today’s second medal for Finland
Marco Dalla Dea
Finland climbs the medal standings: MAKELA-NUMMELA shot Gold in the Trap Women Event with a new Final Olympic Record, joining her team mate HAKKINEN who had won Bronze in the 10m Air Rifle Event only two hours before. 24-year old STEFECEKOVA of Slovakia gained Silver, while the youngest finalist, the 21-year old COGDELL of USA won the shoot-off for Bronze.
“I did not believe I would win today, it is amazing! At this time is difficult to find the words: it has been a great day for me and for Finland Shooting” said Satu MAKELA-NUMMELA of Finland, 37, after winning the Gold medal in the Trap Women Final at the Beijing Shooting Range with a score of 91 hits (70+21), a new Final Olympic Record.
MAKELA-NUMMELA, competing here for the first time at the Games, won the first Olympic Gold in shooting for her country 44 years after the 1964 Olympic Games of Tokyo. She joined in today’s medal standing her team-mate HAKKINEN, who had won Bronze in the 10m Air Rifle Men event only two hours before.
The Finnish athlete showed great confidence during the final round, keeping the leadership she had gained through the qualifications right to the end of the match “Thankfully I did not think about the result, or anyone breathing on my neck. I was just shooting at my targets, following my routine.”
Satu finished in first after battling against the current world record holder, the 24-year old Slovakian shooter Zuzana STEFECEKOVA. The two athletes started the round tied with the same qualification score of 70 hits, but Zuzana missed two determinant clays at the beginning of the match, finishing in second place with a total score of 89 targets (70+19) “I should be disappointed for those mistakes… but I won the Silver medal after all… I won an Olympic medal, this is the important thing! – Commented STEFECEKOVA right after the final round – I shot a record in China at the 2006 ISSF World Cup, and now I reached an Olympic medal here in Beijing. Maybe this is my lucky country!”
The final round was closed by a surprising four-way shoot-off, since all the other four finalists ended up tied with a total score of 86 hits. The shoot-off awarded the youngest competitior, the 21-year old Corey COGDELL of USA, the only one to hit the first shoot-off target. “I can’t believe I am on the podium! My father has always supported me, he introduced me to shooting, and he is the first person who called me at the phone today…” Showing tears of joy, she walked out of the final range next to her national coach, Lloyd WOODHOUSE “This is the best retirement-present that Corey could give me – said WOODHOUSE – This is just the beginning of the road. There is lots and lots that she can do. Today has been fantastic: she never quit!”
MAKELA-NUMMELA, competing here for the first time at the Games, won the first Olympic Gold in shooting for her country 44 years after the 1964 Olympic Games of Tokyo. She joined in today’s medal standing her team-mate HAKKINEN, who had won Bronze in the 10m Air Rifle Men event only two hours before.
The Finnish athlete showed great confidence during the final round, keeping the leadership she had gained through the qualifications right to the end of the match “Thankfully I did not think about the result, or anyone breathing on my neck. I was just shooting at my targets, following my routine.”
Satu finished in first after battling against the current world record holder, the 24-year old Slovakian shooter Zuzana STEFECEKOVA. The two athletes started the round tied with the same qualification score of 70 hits, but Zuzana missed two determinant clays at the beginning of the match, finishing in second place with a total score of 89 targets (70+19) “I should be disappointed for those mistakes… but I won the Silver medal after all… I won an Olympic medal, this is the important thing! – Commented STEFECEKOVA right after the final round – I shot a record in China at the 2006 ISSF World Cup, and now I reached an Olympic medal here in Beijing. Maybe this is my lucky country!”
The final round was closed by a surprising four-way shoot-off, since all the other four finalists ended up tied with a total score of 86 hits. The shoot-off awarded the youngest competitior, the 21-year old Corey COGDELL of USA, the only one to hit the first shoot-off target. “I can’t believe I am on the podium! My father has always supported me, he introduced me to shooting, and he is the first person who called me at the phone today…” Showing tears of joy, she walked out of the final range next to her national coach, Lloyd WOODHOUSE “This is the best retirement-present that Corey could give me – said WOODHOUSE – This is just the beginning of the road. There is lots and lots that she can do. Today has been fantastic: she never quit!”