The final medal table
The individual Skeet competition at the ISSF World Cup in Lonato , hosted at the Concaverde Shooting Complex, concluded with a gold and a bronze medal for Italy. In the women's competition, Sara Bongini (Fiamme Oro) from Impruneta (FI), who qualified wearing number 4 with a score of 120/125+8, failed to score a single zero in the final, also setting a new world record. However, despite her near-perfect performance, to secure the gold medal she had to endure a tough shoot-off against Victoria Larsson, who also scored 35/36. The Tuscan did not lose heart and defeated her opponent with a quick 3-2 lead. In third place was Great Britain's Amber Jo Rutter with scores of 119/125+4 and 29/32.
“Home” victory
"I'm still trying to fully grasp what just happened," Bongini said after the final. "I'm so happy to have won on home soil. Winning a gold medal in your home country always brings a special feeling. I was very nervous on the platform because I was up against highly experienced opponents, some of whom were reigning Olympic medalists, but I managed to stay focused and finish the competition in the best possible way. This medal has a truly special meaning for me, not only because it's the first I've won as a Senior, but above all because I want to dedicate it to Christian (the Ghilli shooter who passed away in 2022, ed.), a friend of mine who sadly is no longer with us. I wanted it, I desired it, and I did it."
A valuable bronze
In the men's event, Erik Pittini's (Fiamme Oro) perfection on the platform wasn't enough to secure him a spot on the podium. His number 5, a 124/125+1 qualifying score, unfortunately negated the perfect 32/32 achieved in the final by the policeman from Sutrio (UD), forcing him to the bronze medal. "I'm very happy. The fact that this is my second medal of the season, and the fourth of my career, at a World Cup is a sign that I'm working hard," Pittini commented. "This is a race that, in terms of difficulty, can be compared to a World Championship, and I approached it as if I were playing for a World Championship medal. I absolutely had to get on the podium. I felt deep down that I was ready and prepared to achieve a good result, and that's exactly what happened. These confirmations are helping me to work even harder. When I step onto the platform, my goal is always gold. However, I'm satisfied and excited for the upcoming international events, which I hope to bring home." (Source: FITAV)
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