Veronika Vadovicova breaks world record to take first gold at Al Ain 2022

Veronika Vadovicova had to wait five days to top the podium at the Worlds three years ago in Sydney. Eager to write a completely different story at Al Ain 2022, she did so in style. 

The Slovakian set a new world record on her way to winning the first gold medal of the World Championships in the R3 – mixed 10m air rifle prone SH1 on Sunday (6 November).

Vadovicova hit 255.2 points in the final to finish ahead of Germany’s Natascha Hiltrop (253.9). Slovakia’s shooting legend improved by 0.2 her own world record set at the Cheongju 2018 World Championships in South Korea.

Paralympic champion in the event at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games last year, Hiltrop won the R3 qualification in UAE but had to settle for silver as the Slovakian led all the way in the final round.

It was a completely different story from Sydney 2019 when Vadovicova topped the qualification round but finished eight in the final. The R3 gold was Vadovicova's sixth in World Championships.

Israel’s Yuliya Chernoy picked the bronze medal (230.8), her second-ever World Championships podium and the first in the R3. Defending world champion Matt Skelhon of Great Britain finished fifth.

The Al Ain 2022 World Championships continues on Monday (7) with two medal events, the P3 - mixed 25m pistol SH1 and the VIS - 10m air rifle VI standing.

You can watch the competition live on World Shooting Para Sport Facebook channel. Complete results are available here.