Laetisha Scanlan bests Olympic champ Rossi

Al Ain: Australia’s Laetisha Scanlan, a 23-year-old college graduate, continued her bright start to the year when she won the women’s Trap title in the ISSF Shotgun World Cup final in Al Ain on Wednesday, beating her compatriot Catherine Skinner and Italian Jessica Rossi, a gold medallist in the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Scanlan started the year by winning her first national championship in January and then added the Qatar Open title in February. Her title in Al Ain came as a new bonus to a promising career in the game. “I am overjoyed,” said Scanlan, who holds the Australian record with 174 points (out of a possible 175) and boasts of a Commonwealth Games title.

Scanlan headed the semifinals in first place with a perfect 15, followed by her compatriot Skinner, who shot 14 to be in the running for the gold medal while German Jana Beckmann and Italian Rossi settled for the bronze.

Scanlan shot 14, beating Skinner by four while Rossi won the bronze for shooting 14, two more than Beckmann. “This is fantastic, this is my first victory in an ISSF World Cup final and it tastes good,” Scanlan said.

When asked about the new rules of competition, where the points of the qualifying round are not carried over to the final, Scanlan said: “I know the new rules are somewhat controversial but I like them. With everybody starting the final stage from scratch, there is a chance for the underdogs to come out and get a medal. The new rules are exciting and work for me.”