Champions’ Trophy concluded the ISSF World Cup Final

The ISSF World Cup Final in Rifle and Pistol Events has been closed by the traditional “Champions’ Trophy” competition, a mixed event conducted on the 10m distance with air guns sponsored by SIUS ASCOR and LAPORTE.
Only the World Cup Final’s medallists of the ten Olympic events of rifle and pistol shooting are invited to take part in this challenging competition, where the champions face each other to gain a money prize of 5.000,00 Euros, about 6.500,00 Dollars, sponsored by the companies.
The formula of the Trophy: the match is conducted in standing position with an air pistol or an air rifle, mixed man and women, on the classic 10-meter distance. Four shots are fired to decide a start list, and then, shot after shot, one athlete after the other, the shooter with the lowest score has to leave the competition. When only two shooters are left on the firing line, the total is set back to zero and the match turns into a duel: three shots are fired to decide the winner of the Champions Trophy.
Matthew EMMONS, the 27-year old Olympic multi-medallist of the USA, won the Rifle Champions’ Trophy and the valued prize of 5.000,00 Euros. On his way to the victory, EMMONS outdid the Olympic Silver medallist of Beijing ZHU Qinan of China, who had won the Trophy last year. “This is the competition I like the most! – said Matt right after the last shot – I think that Katy and me will use this money for our new house, whenever we will get one!”
The Ukrainian shooter Oleg OMELCHUK, the winner of today’s 10m Air Pistol final, won the Pistol Trophy. As had happened during the World Cup Final competition, OMELCHUK outdid the Armenian shooter Norayr BAKHTAMYAN, who turned out to be the unlucky shooter of this tournament. He had lost the Gold medal by firing a 7.9 shot, and he lost the Champions’ Trophy and its price by firing a 7.6, both times in favour of the same OMELCHUK.