World record holder Ronjan Sodhi bagged the double trap gold in the World Cup Final in Izmir, Turkey, with a score of 192, on Monday.
It was a comprehensive victory for the amiable 30-year-old as he won with a four-point margin over Mo Junjie of China, who incidentally was the only one to shoot a perfect 50 in the qualification phase.
Class act
Ronjan was a class act in the final as he came up with a 49. He was flawless after missing the tenth bird, even as the rest kept missing too many birds around him.
“It was difficult during the final, as there was a strong breeze from behind that made the birds fly low. I was prepared right from the first shot, even as others struggled. I had the confidence as I have been shooting well in the finals,'' said Ronjan.
Going into the final, Ronjan was placed second, with a qualification score of 143, following rounds of 48, 46 and 49. Another Chinese, Pan Qiang, had led the field at 144, but ended up with the bronze as he could muster only 43 in the final.
World championship silver medallist Vasily Mosin of Russia was fourth with a score of 186.
The reigning world champion Joshua Richmond of the U.S., who had shot a final world record of 196 on way to the crown in Munich recenly, finished 10th with a score of 138.
The Beijing Olympics bronze medallist and double world record holder Hu Binyuan of China who had also won the World championship bronze, finished ninth with an identical score of 138.
It was actually the first medal in the prestigious World Cup Final for Ronjan, who was making the grade for the fourth successive season. His best earlier placing was eighth.
“When I was leaving home for the competition, my son Suryaveer who is two-and-a-half years old, said that he wanted a medal. It was the parting word. I thought that it would benefit me also to get it,'' said Ronjan.
Ronjan had won the World Cup gold in Lonato this season with an impressive total of 195. He had also won the World Cup gold in 2008 in Belgrade, when he shot a double world record of 147 and 194.
In the World championship in Munich last month, Ronjanwas unsettled before the first round when he was given three minutes by the range officer to find his back number which he had forgotten in his bag.
Overwhelmed by anxiety, he started with 42, but bounced back with rounds of 48 and 49, which however could only place him 23rd with a total of 139.
The results: Double trap: 1. Ronjan Sodhi 192 (143); 2. Mo Junjie (Chn) 188 (141); 3. Pan Qiang (Chn) 187 (144).
