Skeet Women Final -- Gold and Bronze to Italy

Diana Bacosi of Italy won her first ISSF Gold medal at today's Skeet Women event, placing in first with 95 hits. Her team-mate Chiara Cainero also finished on the podium, winning Bronze after missing in a shoot-off against Danka Bartekova of Slovakia who shot Silver.

Italy celebrated a double victory at today's Skeet Women event: both Diana Bacosi and Chiara Cainero stood on the podium, wearing Gold and Bronze, respectively. Diana Bacosi, 24, had never won an ISSF Gold medal before, but today turned out to be the most skilled shooter in Suhl's wind. The weather changed from the qualifications to the final: the wind peaked up and clouds overcast the sky, making everything more difficult for the finalists. Bacosi, who entered the round on the lead with a qualification score of 72 hits tied to her team-mate Chiara Cainero, 30, and to the Slovakian shooter Danka Bartekova, 23, shot Gold with a final round of 23 hits and a total score of 95 targets. "I hope that more medals will come -- said Bacosi after the match -- I had won a World Cup Bronze in 2005, and a Silver at the pre-Olympic World Cup of Beijing. But I had never reached the highest step of the podium before. Now I will travel to Belgrade, where I wish I will get a second chance!"

Bartekova and Cainero finished tied as they had started, with an equal final score of 94 hits, and they had to pass throughout a shoot-off for Silver, won by Bartekova 2 to 1 "I hate to shoot for second in a shoot-off -- said Bartekova -- but it's a drawing: it can always happen. I trained a lot, and today I made it. And that's great: it has been a long time since I won my last medal"

Bronze went to Cainero, who placed in third with a score of 94+1 hits "That's life. I finished in third… I am on the podium -- she said -- The wind was challenging today, but this is Suhl, we knew it from before. I am preparing for the Olympic Games, and my goal at the moment is to be between the bests. There's only one important medal this year, and that's in Beijing." The 28-year old American athlete Kimberly Rhode finished out of the games for the podium, missing a fatal low target on the eighth station. She placed in forth with a total score of 93 hits, followed by the British shooter Elena Little, fifth with a total score of 90 clays. The 40-year old, first time participants, Lilia Lucia Mihalache of Romania, closed the round in sixth place, with a total score of 86 hits.

(Credit: ISSF. Click here for further information.)