Ahmad fails to repeat past Olympic glory

Dubai: The UAE's Shaikh Ahmad Mohammad Hasher Al Maktoum missed out on making the final of the double trap shooting at the Beijing Olympics on Tuesday.

Much was expected of Shaikh Ahmad this time after he won a historic first-ever Olympic gold medal in Athens four years ago.

But this time he was not prepared, which showed when he did not have a good start while shooting 46 and 45 for a combined score of 91 to stay in eighth place after two rounds.

However, he did well in the third round with a score of 45 targets to stay tied in sixth along with Australia's Russell Mark, Malta's William Chetcuti and Hungary's Roland Gerebics, forcing a shoot-off.

Gerebics was first to exit in the shoot-off, followed by Chetcuti as Shaikh Ahmad and Russell Mark fought for the lone place on offer.

The Australian struck both targets on his third attempt as Shaikh Ahmad missed the second target to bow out.

New record

Silver medallist in Athens, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore of India also missed out and ended in a disappointing 15th place with a total of 131.

Eller Walton of the US went on to win the gold with a total of 190, incidentally a new Olympic Record that broke one set by Shaikh Ahmad.

Italian Francesco Daniello took silver with 187 and China's Hu Binyuan took the bronze with 184.