Croatia’s Josip Glasnovic (33) won today’s Trap Men final at the Olympic Shooting Centre in Deodoro, pocketing the first world-level gold medal of his career.
The 33-year old shooter, ranked 13th in the world, claimed the title by beating Italy’s Olympic legend Giovanni Pellielo, who finished in second collecting his fourth Olympic medal (1 Bronze in 2000, 3 Silver in 2004, 2008 and 2016).
Glasnovic qualified with 120 hits, and shot a perfect semi-final finishing atop of the scoreboard with 15 out of 15 hits.
In the Gold medal match he met 46-year old Pellielo in a thrilling neck-and-neck round that finished with both athletes tied at 13 hits.
The Gold had to be decided in a shoot-off – a sudden-death tie-breaker. Pellielo shooting first, Glasnovic following in second, the duel lasted right to the fourth target, when the Italian missed, landing himself in second place.
“I shoot very well, very concentrated. I give all the best,” said Glasnovic, wearing the gold. “I am in tears.”
“I did not check the scores because I do not want to know which part I am. But I knew I was the top because of yesterday’s wind, and today I tell myself I must shoot the best I can do,” he continued.
“I just focused on the targets, and kept it simple. I heard the crowd cheering for me and I knew I was doing all right.”
This is the second men’s Trap gold in a row for Croatia. Glasnovic’s teammate Giovanni Cernogoraz had won the event in London, four years ago. Today, while defending his title, he finished in 9th place with 116 hits out of 125 clays, two targets far from the semi-final.
Silver medalist Giovanni Pellielo, 46, is a legend of the sport. Participating in his seventh Olympic Games here in Rio, he won three Olympic silver and one bronze since 1992, along with 4 ISSF World Championships, 15 World Cup medal and 7 World Cup Final titles (more than anybody else in the history of the shotgun shooting).
“This is my fourth Olympic medal, I am blessed. And this is a special one, because it comes when I am 46-year old,” Pellielo said.
“I have never thought about quitting after Rio. I feel well, and I will continue on the road to Tokyo 2020, if I will be selected.”
“I have been chasing the Olympic title for 24 years. I have been close to it several times, and I won’t give up now.”
Bronze went to Great Britain’s Edward Ling (33) who beat the 2008 Olympic Champion David Kostelecky of the Czech Republic (41) in the medal match.
Ling passed won a shoot-off at the end of the semi-final, as he tied to Egypt Ahmed Kamar with 12 hits out of 15 targets. In the Bronze medal match, he scored 13 clays, leaving Kostelecky in 4th with 9.
“It’s just been nail-biting, it really has. It's a dream come true. I never thought this day would come,” said Ling, who had participated in the 2004 and 2012 Olympics, finishing in 25th and 21st place, respectively.
The action at the Olympic Shooting Centre in Deodoro will continue tomorrow, August 9, with one more medal event, the 25m Pistol Women final, scheduled at 15.30 (UTC-3).