Five Gold Medals Awarded on First Two Days of IPC Shooting World Cup

Five Gold Medals Awarded on First Two Days of IPC Shooting World Cup

Five different nations shined on the first two days of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Shooting World Cup USA in Fort Benning, Georgia, as New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Slovenia and South Africa all picked up gold medals.

New Zealand’s Michael Johnson shot a perfect 600 points in the 10m Air Rifle Standing Mixed SH2 on Thursday (6 October), and with 104 more points in the final, he easily won gold. Serbia’s Sinisa Vidic took silver and Australia’s Bradley Mark, who is ranked No. 1 in the world, took bronze.

Germany’s Manuella Schmermund made up ground in the finals of the 50m Rifle Three Position Women’s SH1 to grab gold. After entering the final round in second place – 2 points behind Sweden’s Lotta Helsinger – Schmermund shot an outstanding 99.9 points in the final to take first and leave Helsinger with the silver. Bronze went to Great Britain’s Karen Butler.

On Wednesday (5 October), Australia’s Natalie Smith snatched gold in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 with a total of 498 points. Great Britain’s Deanna Coates, who has competed in every Paralympics since 1984, took silver and Schmermund won bronze.

Slovenia’s Franc Pinter was the uncontested winner in the Men’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event with 694.1 points, and he was followed by Germany’s Josef Neumaier and Great Britain’s Nathan Milgate, respectively.

In the 25m Sport Pistol Mixed SH1, Russia’s Valery Ponomarenko shot a 777.4 to seal his gold-medal fate, as South Africa’s Vonnie Kohne picked up silver and Russia’s Sergey Malyshev picked up bronze.

The World Cup resumes Friday and will last through Sunday.