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Changwon 2025 Review: Gabriele Nanni shows he is ready for Para Trap Worlds

Three-time world champion is joined by compatriot Antonino Ventre for Italy's double gold in Para Trap events, even as Paris 2024 champion Jinho Park shines with three gold at the World Cup held in the same range of next year's World Championships 06 Jun 2025
Three Para trop shooters standing with their shotguns after a competition
Italy's Gabriele Nanni (centre) added the PT3 gold medal to his collection at the World Cup in Changwon.
ⒸChangwon LOC
By Priyanka Sharma l For World Shooting Para Sport

The past six days witnessed exceptional shooting action where thrill, precision and mental strength took the centre stage. 

The first World Cup of the season in Changwon, South Korea lived up to the expectations with the Para trap events as its main focus – it was the only World Cup ahead of the September’s Para Trap World Championships in Brno, Czech Republic.

Another highlight was the home shooters who yet again showed why they are among the best in the sport.

It was also test for the venue that will be hosting the World Championships next year.

Italian giant

The Changwon 2025 World Cup was the one-off opportunity for Para trap shooters to test their focus and skills ahead of the Brno Worlds; and Italian shooters grabbed it in style.

The 39-year-old Gabriele Nanni was one of the biggest names in Para trap – a world record holder and three-time world champion in PT3 - mixed trap standing SG-U (Al Ain 2022, Lima 2023 and Granada 2024). And he lived up to his billing taking the top prize in the event.

Brazilian newcomer Alexandro Basso claimed the bronze in the event in his first Para Trap World Cup and set a new Americas record. UAE’s Ahmad Buhaleeba, Lima 2023 World Championships bronze medallist, claimed the silver.

Before this, Antonino Ventre, bronze medallist at the 2021 Para Trap World Championships, had clinched the first gold for Italy winning the PT2 - mixed trap standing SG-L. 

He was followed by India’s Rajveer Singh Sekhon, an Asian record holder who will be in search of his first World Championships medal in Brno, and Italy’s 2019 world champion Alessandro Spagnoli.

The United Arab Emirates were on top of podium as seasoned Mohammed Alhashmi won the PT1 – mixed trap seated SG-S, followed by his compatriot Mohammed Alhebsi, a bronze medal from the 2021 Worlds in Lonato, Italy.

Both the shooters were former Para athletics athletes, and the result can be a big boost for Alhashmi as he is still looking for his first Worlds medal. Neutral Para athlete Aleksandr Sakharnov claimed the bronze. 

 

Korea on top 

Home fans were treated to a spectacular display of rifle shooting skills by the South Korean team, and the charge was led by Paris 2024 double gold medallist Jinho Park.

Park clinched the gold medals in R1 - men's 10m air rifle standing SH1 and the R7 - men's 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 in which he is the reigning Paralympic champion and combined with Lee Yunri for the R10 - mixed team 10m air rifle standing SH1 title. 

Park even went on to equal the world record in R1 - men's 10m air rifle standing SH1 with an impressive score of 250.5 – the South Korean holds the world record set also in Changwon in 2023.

Yunri, the Paris 2024 silver medallist, also claimed a gold in the R2 - women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 finishing far ahead (249.0) of reigning Paralympic champion Avani Lekhara (204.8) who missed out of medals. Lekhara’s compatriot Mona Agarwal took the second place with 246.6 points.

In R3 - mixed 10m air rifle prone SH1, the home team made a clean sweep of the medals, with Jangho Lee, the 2022 Worlds champion and Asian Para Games champion in R1, taking the gold shooting 253.8. He was closely followed by Suwan Kim at 253.4 and Park with 232.7 points.

Cheoljae Lee, an Asian Para Games champion, ended Korea’s campaign with another gold in R5 - mixed 10m air rifle prone SH2, the final event of the World Cup. 

 

The Pistol powerhouse

While South Korea showcased their dominance in rifle events, it was India who stole the spotlight in pistol shooting with a series of standout performances.

The P1 - men's 10m air pistol SH1 final was a thrilling contest between India's promising shooter Rudransh Khandelwal (236.3) and Paris 2024 silver medallist Manish Narwal (236.0) with the former emerging on top. 

Khandelwal, qualifying in the seventh place, displayed incredible precision and skill to beat Paris 2024 stars Jo Jeongdu from Korea, the gold medallist, and Narwal to take the gold. Home player Kim Jungnam, Lima 2023 Worlds silver medallist, took the bronze on 212.8.

Narwal, however, took the P6 - mixed team 10m air pistol SH1 gold along with rising star Shrishti Arora. Arora’s second medal in the World Cup came as a silver (234.9) in the P2 - women's 10m air pistol SH1 which was won by her fellow team-mate Sumedha Pathak (235.2). This was Pathak’s first gold medal in a World Cup.

 

Other medallists 

Spaniard Juan Antonio Saavedra Reinaldo, Paris 2024 bronze medallist in the R3 - mixed 10m air rifle prone SH1, claimed his first medal of the season in R6 - mixed 50m rifle prone SH1 ahead of Park and Poland's Emilia Babska.

This was Babska’s second medal at the World Cup after the Lima 2023 Worlds silver medallist claimed her season’s first gold in the R8 - women's 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 final. 

Meanwhile, Spain secured another gold medal in the World Cup thanks to the efforts of Carlos Alberto Linares Molino (P4 - mixed 50m pistol SH1).  He finished ahead of Paris 2024 champion in P1 - men's 10m air pistol SH1 Jeongdu Jo.  

Little-known neutral Para athlete Marina Abdullina beat the likes of Paris 2024 silver medallist Vladimer Tchintcharauli from Georgia and Korean Huntae Seo (R4 -mixed 10m air rifle standing SH2) to win the R9 - mixed 50m rifle prone SH2 gold.

Results from the Changwon 2025 World Cup can be found here.

What’s next?

After the remarkable action in Changwon, the focus will shift to the Brno 2025 Para Trap World Championships to be held between 9-15 September, followed by the Osijek 2025 WSPS European Championships from 30 September until 8 October in Croatia. 

The final World Cup of the season will be held in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates – a regular stop in WSPS calendar from 25 October until 5 November. The full season calendar can be found here. 

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