Hopes high for UAE medal success at double-trap event

Al Ain: The men’s double trap competition commences at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup on Saturday at the Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Gulf Club, with the UAE optimistic of medal success.

There will be tough competition provided by Indians Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Mohammad Asab and Ronjan Sodhi, Kuwait’s Fehaid Al Deehani, Qatar’s Rashid Al Athba, Italy’s Daniele Di Spigno, Eller Walton from USA and Vitlay Fokeev from Russia.

But the UAE boast a strong lineup of their own, and will be represented by Shaikh Juma Bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, Saif Manie Al Shamsi, Abdulla Al Kindi, Mohammad Dahi and Ahmad Dahi.

“I believe we have a good chance of winning a medal with great respect for our competitors,” Al Shamsi told Gulf News. “I hope we will have a bit of good luck so we can finish on the podium.”

Meanwhile, Briton Aaron Heading was in a class of his own in beating seven-time world champion, Italy’s Giovanni Pellielo, to win the gold medal in the men’s trap event at the ongoing competition.

It was Pellielo who set the pace and attracted the attention in the qualifiers when he equalled his world record by scoring 125 out of 125 and then hit all 15 targets in the semi finals to reach the gold medal match against Heading.

The Briton needed a shoot-off to reach the second round after scoring 121 in the preliminary round.

Once in the semi-finals, Heading found his best form to reach the gold medal match in which he beat Pellielo 13-11.

“It is great to win this medal and beat Pellielo, one of the best shooters in the world,” Heading said.

“I have had some hard times lately and today is my day. I would like to dedicate this medal to a friend who is not with us anymore.”

Austria’s veteran shooter Andreas Scherhaufer won the bronze medal after beating Slovakian Erik Varga 11-10, while Michael Wixey and Turkey’s Oguzhan Tuzun finished fifth and sixth respectively.