The Peninsula
Six top shooters including the reigning Olympic champion Vincent Hancock of USA shared the lead on the opening day of men’s skeet qualification as ISSF World Cup Shotgun Doha 2023 got underway at the Lusail Shooting Range, yesterday.
Along with Hancock, Rio Olympics gold winner Gabriele Rossetti of Italy, Egypt’s 2022 World Champion Azmy Mehelba, Rio and Tokyo Games silver winner Jesper Hansen of Denmark as well as Italian world champions Elia Sdruccioli and Luigi Lodde occupied the top spot in the 114-strong field with perfect scores at the end of three qualifying rounds yesterday.
All of them shot 25 targets in each of the three rounds, collecting a total of 75 hits. The athletes will shoot two more rounds today after which the top eight will qualify for the final.
Saleh Masoud Al Athba was best among the Qatari shooters on the opening day as the 2022 Asian Championship gold winner shot 24 in all three rounds to accumulate 72 at the 38th position.
Olympian Rashid Saleh Al Athba was 76th after 70 hits while 2022 Asian Championship gold medallist Abdul Aziz Al Attiayh was 81st with 69.
London 2012 Olympic medallist Nasser Al Attiyah did not enjoy a perfect day as the multi-talented sportsman, also a five-time Dakar Rally champion, retired after shooting 48 from two rounds.
In the women’s event, only the Olympic bronze medalist Slovakian Danka Bartekova shot the perfect score in the first three rounds while Ukrain’s Iryna Malovichko, USA’s Samantha Simonton and Italy’s Simona Scocchetti closely followed with 74.
ISSF Secretary-General lauds Qatar’s organisation
Meanwhile, International Shooting Sport Federation’s Secretary-General Willie Grill yesterday praised Qatar’s exceptional organisation of the World Cup Shotgun.
“I know this shooting range very well. They (the organisers, Qatar Shooting and Archery Association) have done their very best this time. I have to say honestly, they did more than the very best and are outstanding,” Grill told the ISSF’s official youtube channel.
“Not only to have logos around, they have done a very good job in athletes preparation areas and rest area. Everything is done from them. Excellent. Well, I think probably this will be the best World Cup this year,”Grill said.
“This is the first Shooting World Cup in the history of Qatar, but they are very well prepared. They have hosted the Asian Championship and other Asian competitions. So they know how to do it. Riffle and pistol events as well. So for sure, the future will be open for this country as this country is not limited to anybody. So we will not face problems with visa etc. Qatar is actually very simple,” Grill said.