Rossetti fulfils dream with ISSF World Cup Shotgun gold; Rhode thrilled at winning women’s skeet final

DOHA - Shooting star Gabriele Rossetti was an emotional self as he stood on the podium having won the men’s individual skeet gold at the ISSF World Cup Shotgun – Doha 2023 on Tuesday evening.

The 28-year-old Italian, who has probably won almost everything including Olympic gold, was teary-eyed as his country’s national anthem was played. It also happened to be his birthday on Tuesday!Later speaking of his triumph and emotions, he said it was a special victory for him. “I’m so happy. I’m so happy. It’s my first World Cup win,” he revealed. “I have won all, I am Olympic champion, world champion, but never the World Cup. And now I win it all. And I’m very happy,” he added.

He then went on to explain why it is so special emotionally as well for him in Doha. “I remember. This day is very important for me because in 2018 I had come here a week after my my dad passed away.”Gabriele’s father Bruno had claimed bronze in the skeet event at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.“So, for me, Qatar is like a second home and now I win my first World Cup here. So thank you,” said the man who has over 16 gold medals in his career so far.

The victory at Lusail Shooting Range saw Rossetti surpass his familiar rival, the reigning Olympic champion Vincent Hancock of USA with 39 hits out of 40 in the medal round.Hancock missed two targets and finished with 38 to win the silver medal while Italy’s Luigi Lodde completed the podium after finishing the round with 27 successful target hits. Egypt’s 2022 World Champion Azmy Mehelba finished a close fourth.

Earlier, in the women’s skeet final, American Kimberly Rhode overcame compatriot Samantha Simonton in a thrilling shoot-off after both of them shot 38 in the medal round. “Very excited and just kind of overwhelmed by it all. It’s been an amazing competition,” said Rhode. Admiring the competition, she said, “This championship almost definitely is top class. I mean you have the best of the best in the world here and the facilities has been incredible. Every detail has been thought out not just for the athletes, but also for the referees, the coaches. I mean, it’s just amazing.

“So at the end of the day, you have a lot of really fantastic scores and, you know, a lot of medals being awarded. And it’s just I think we can safely say that. We’ll be back!”

The 43-year-old London 2012 Olympics Gold winner Rhode’s experience probably made the difference as she beat Simonton 6-5 in the shootout.Italian Simona Scocchetti took the bronze with a score of 27.

India’s Sekhon equals women’s skeet qualification national record Earlier, Ganemat Sekhon, equalled the women’s skeet qualification national record on Tuesday. The 22-year-old finished ninth after a five-way shoot-off.Ganemat shot 120 out of 125 after two days of qualification and found herself in a shoot-off for the final four qualifying spots with four others. She missed her first shoot-off shot to finish just outside the top eight.

Among the other Indians in women’s skeet, Darshna Rathore shot 117 to finish 25th while Maheshwari Chauhan shot 116 to finish in 28th spot. Sanajan Sood, playing for ranking points only shot 114.

The best Indian on show in the star-studded field, however, was Sheeraz Sheikh who shot 121 in the men’s but was playing for ranking points only. The final qualification spot went at a very high 124.
 

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