Raajiv Tripathi
DOHA
Thrice world champion Erik Varga got the better of Jiri Liptak in the pulsating shootoff to win the Men's Trap and $7,000 prize money in the Qatar Shotgun Open 2018 at the Losail Ranges on Saturday.
In the sunny and windy afternoon, Slovakian Varga, who also bagged two World Cups and one World Cup Finals but has not done as well in the Olympics, was tied at 45-45 with three-time world championship bronze medallist Czech rival Liptak after the final 50 shots were fired.
Even the shootoff had the pulses of a big crowd racing and eventually it was Varga who edged Liptak 4-3 to emerge the winner. Liptak had topped the qualifying round with 124, while Varga was involved in a three-men shootoff before getting into the gold medal match with Liptak, who earned $6,000.
The 2010 World Cup winner Mauro de Filippis of Italy claimed the bronze medal and $5,000 with 35 shots in the finals, beating Finland's Mirka Kyyronen. Slovakia's Michal Slamka was fifth, while Kuwait's Abdulrahman Alfaihan was sixth, becoming the first shooter to bow out of the eliminations with 19 in 25.
Hamad al Athbi and Mohammed al Rumaihi were the best local finishers getting the 25th and 28th spots, respectively.
San Marino's Alessandra Perilli, the 2015 World Cup Finals champion, shrugged a poor start and went on to beat Lebanon's Ray Bassil 44-42 to grab the gold medal and $7,000. The winner failed to hit four out of her first five targets in the eliminations. But she reproduced nearly the same consistency as in the Qualifying rounds (121 out of 125) and emerged the champion in her first appearance.
"Yeah, I had a very bad start but I fought back as the event progressed. I am so happy to have won at this beautiful range and beautiful weather here.
"The final was tough and I had to focus hard as I came closer to the title. I am delighted to have got off to a winning start in the season and hopefully, I will have good results in the World Cup in Mexico," the double World Cup champion said.
Bassil, the 2016 Nicosia World Cup champion, was rewarded with $6,000.
The third place was taken by Finland's experienced Satu Makela-Nummela, who managed just 35. Italian star and 2012 London Olympics gold medallist Jessica Rossi got 29 and finished fourth, ahead Kuwait's Sarah Alhawal (22) and Great Britain's Kirsty Barr, both looked like winning a medal in the beginning of the elimination round.
Results
Men’s Trap
1.Erik Varga, SVK (25 24 24 25 25) 123+5 (Q) & 45+4 (Total)
2.Jiri Liptak, CZE (25 25 25 24 25) 124 & 45+3
3.Mauro De Fillipis, ITA (25 25 24 25 24) 123+6 & 35
4.Mirka Kyronen, FIN (25 25 24 25 24) 123+1 & 31
5.Michal Slamka, SVK (23 25 24 25 25) 122+31 & 25
6.Abdulrahman Alfaihan, KUW (23 25 25 24 25) 122+32 & 19
7.Talal Alrashidi, KUW (24 24 24 25 25) 122+1
Women’s Trap
1.Alessandra Perilli, SMR (25 25 24 23 24) 121 (Q) & 44 (Total)
2.Ray Bassil, LBN (24 23 24 25 24) 120 & 42
3.Satu Makela-Nummela, FIN (23 25 22 24 24) 118+2 & 35
4.Jessica Rossi, ITA (22 23 23 24 24) 116+2 & 29
5.Sarah Alhawal, KUW (23 23 21 24 25) 116+3 & 22
6.Kirsty Barr, GBR (23 24 23 24 24) 118+1 & 17
Junior Men’s Trap
1.Angelo Scalzone, ITA (25 23 25 24 22) 119
2.Manavaditya Rathore, IND (23 24 24 24 23) 118
3.Jeremy Schulz, GER (23 24 22 25 21) 115
Junior Women’s Trap
1.Augusta Campos Martyn, GBR (20 23 20 23 24) 110
2.Aydan Jamalova, AZE (20 20 20 20 23) 103
3.Mackenzie Vandertuin, USA (21 20 21 20 18) 100