Pehlivanlar stuns Javanmardi in Osijek

Turkey’s Aysegul Pehlivanlar was in control throughout the P2 (women’s 10m air pistol SH1), eventually stunning favourite Sareh Javanmardi for the gold medal on day four (25 September) of the World Shooting Para Sport World Cup in Osijek, Croatia.

Both shooters were making their season debuts since the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, where Iranian Javanmardi captured the P2 title. However Rio 2016 bronze medallist Pehlivanlar came out firing in her first two rounds of the elimination stage to jump to the lead and never relinquished it to win with a total of 237.7. It was the 37-year-old’s first victory since the 2015 World Cup in Fort Benning, USA. Javanmardi (236.5) took the silver ahead of Hungary’s Krisztina David (211.3).

Iran did complete the day with a gold medal in the P1 (men’s 10m air pistol SH1) from Mahdi Zamanishurabi (235.0), who saw his first major individual win. The Iranian was locked with Croatia’s Damir Bosnjak (230.9) in the first stage but distanced himself as the elimination round went on. South Korea’s Jungnam Kim (211.6) completed the podium.

The Osijek World Cup marked the first event in which the R9 (mixed rifle prone SH2) was contested since being announced as part of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games programme earlier this month. The competition saw Great Britain’s James Bevis (247.4) comeback for the win. Chasing France’s Alain Quittet (245.4), Bevis shot a perfect 10.9 in the third round of the elimination stage to grab and hold onto the lead. Serbia’s Dragan Ristic (225.0) took the bronze.

Competition continues Tuesday (26 September) with R5 (mixed 10m air rifle prone SH2), P4 (mixed 50m pistol SH1) and R6 (mixed 50m rifle prone SH1); and runs until Wednesday (27 September).

Complete and live results can be found at World Shooting Para Sport's website.