体坛英语新闻：Veteran Russian shooter grabs first gold of Munich shooting World Cup

MUNICH, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Veteran Russian shooter Irina Laricheva grabbed the first gold medal of the ISSF shooting World Cup here on Thursday at the Munich Olympic Shooting Range.

    Laricheva, aged 44, hit 92 targets to claim the gold medal of women's trap shooting. Chinese Lu Xingyu snatched the silver medal by hitting 91 targets, her first-ever medal in the shooting World Cup series.

Chinese Lu Xingyu snatched the silver medal by hitting 91 targets, her first-ever medal in the shooting World Cup series

German Susanne Kiermayer took home the bronze medal by hitting 90 targets, the first medal for the host in the fourth leg of this year's ISSF shooting series, which lasts till May 20.

    Laricheva had shot at the time-honored Munich Olympic Shooting Range 14 years ago, she said she enjoys the coming-back.

    In 1994, Laricheva took the 7th place at a World Cup leg here in Munich.

    "I like the range which has been renewed, and it is well-prepared," she said after the final shooting.

    Despite the rain fall in the process of the final competition on the day, Laricheva said the rain did not affect her performance.

    The veteran shooter has cast her eyes on the London Olympics when she will be 47 years old.

    "I'm looking forward to London," she said.

    Last year in Beijing Olympic Games, she took the 9th place in women's trap.

    The Munich leg of the ISSF World Cup series opened on Wednesday, which drew around 1,100 shooters from over 80 countries and regions.

    Silver medalist Lu Xingyu is a newcomer in the Chinese national team, and the Munich leg is her first international appearance.

    For the Chinese green horn, a silver medal is a satisfactory achievement at the international arena.

    "I'm very satistified with a silver," Lu told Xinhua after the final, who shared her excitement and joy with her coach and teammates.

    However, the World Cup debutant still regreted for a single margin with the gold medalist as Lu, Kiermayer and Laricheva all scored 72 hits in the qualifying rounds.

    "I lagged behind by a single hit, I'm a little bit regretful for that," she said.

    Lu's silver is the first medal for the Chinese team. The world's shooting powerhouse has sent 49 shooters to the Munich event.