The 2026 ISSF Grand Prix in Ruse, Slovenia, concluded with victories in the women's and men's 10m air rifle competitions for Republic of Korea's Kwon Eun-ji and Germany's Maximilian Ulbrich.
France would also take the 10m air pistol mixed team gold medal earlier in the day.
10m Air Pistol Mixed Team
In qualification for the mixed team event, France delivered a one-two, with Mathilde Lamolle and Tom Richard Stepanoff finishing first with a total of 580. Their compatriots Alisson Gallien and Theo Moczko were two behind on 578, with Slovenia's Manja Slak and Saso Stojak third on 574. The final spot went to Spain's Ines Ortega Castro, the individual women's winner, and Lucas Sanchez Tome, who scored 571.
Lamolle and Stepanoff were the standout leaders after the first competition stage, holding an 8.8 point lead with a total of 302.5. Slak and Stojak were next, on 293.7, with Ortega and Sanchez on 292.0 and Gallien and Moczko on 291.2.
Going into the three series of three shots, the French duo continued to extend their lead, eventually winning by a margin of 15.3, scoring a total of 483.2. A difficult first elimination series saw Ortega and Sanchez the ones to miss the podium. At this point, Gallien and Moczko were now just 0.1 behind the Slovenians, but the home favourites held firm to stay in second place, eventually finishing on 467.9.
France would also take the 10m air pistol mixed team gold medal earlier in the day.
10m Air Pistol Mixed Team
In qualification for the mixed team event, France delivered a one-two, with Mathilde Lamolle and Tom Richard Stepanoff finishing first with a total of 580. Their compatriots Alisson Gallien and Theo Moczko were two behind on 578, with Slovenia's Manja Slak and Saso Stojak third on 574. The final spot went to Spain's Ines Ortega Castro, the individual women's winner, and Lucas Sanchez Tome, who scored 571.
Lamolle and Stepanoff were the standout leaders after the first competition stage, holding an 8.8 point lead with a total of 302.5. Slak and Stojak were next, on 293.7, with Ortega and Sanchez on 292.0 and Gallien and Moczko on 291.2.
Going into the three series of three shots, the French duo continued to extend their lead, eventually winning by a margin of 15.3, scoring a total of 483.2. A difficult first elimination series saw Ortega and Sanchez the ones to miss the podium. At this point, Gallien and Moczko were now just 0.1 behind the Slovenians, but the home favourites held firm to stay in second place, eventually finishing on 467.9.
Women's 10m Air Rifle
Hanna Buehlmeyer was the top qualifier in the women's 10m air rifle, scoring 632.0 to finish ahead of Olga Tashtchiev of Israel on 631.6 and Helena Arias Casals of Spain on 631.4. Lea Ruppel from Germany also finished above 631.
Romanian Laura-Georgeta Ilie and Slovenia's Ziva Dvorsak scored 630.5 and 630.3 respectively, with the Koreans Kwon Eun-ji and Park Ye-eun making the cut too. Just missing out were Croatia's Tea Ilijevic, Germany's Anna Janssen and Urska Kuharic of Slovenia.
Despite just making it into the final, Kwon was in good form when she got there, leading after the first competition stage, with two 10.9s and two 10.8s, helping her to a total of 105.8. Buehlmeyer and Dvorsak followed on 105.2, and Park and Tashtchiev on 104.6. At the back were Arias and Ilie, who ultimately finished in seventh and eighth.
Meanwhile Ruppel had started the elimination shots well, scoring a 10.7 and 10.9 on her second series, while Park and Dvorsak dropped some lower scores, meaning the Korean finished sixth. Ruppel and Dvorsak were now level and 0.2 behind Tashtchiev. The Israeli scored 10.8 and 10.3 to move further ahead in third; and Dvorsak could only score 9.6 and 10.0, finishing fifth. Ruppel, who had scored a 10.8 and 9.8, had a little too much to do to get on the podium, finishing with a 10.6 and 10.5.
At the front, Kwon remained first, until the fourth elimination series when the Korean scored 10.1 and 10.3, while Buehlmeyer had two 10.4s. A 10.8 and 10.3 from Tashtchiev meant the top three were separated by 0.6. As quick as the German was leading, she was now in last position. A 9.9 and 10.1 meant she just stayed ahead of teammate Ruppel, but was now 0.2 behind Tashtchiev and one point behind Kwon. A 10.8 and 10.2 would not be enough, outscored by the Israeli's 10.6 and 10.7, who had now drawn level with Kwon, who dropped a 9.9.
But the experienced Korean kept her cool, hitting two 10.6s to secure the title on a total of 251.9 to Tashtchiev's 250.2.
Hanna Buehlmeyer was the top qualifier in the women's 10m air rifle, scoring 632.0 to finish ahead of Olga Tashtchiev of Israel on 631.6 and Helena Arias Casals of Spain on 631.4. Lea Ruppel from Germany also finished above 631.
Romanian Laura-Georgeta Ilie and Slovenia's Ziva Dvorsak scored 630.5 and 630.3 respectively, with the Koreans Kwon Eun-ji and Park Ye-eun making the cut too. Just missing out were Croatia's Tea Ilijevic, Germany's Anna Janssen and Urska Kuharic of Slovenia.
Despite just making it into the final, Kwon was in good form when she got there, leading after the first competition stage, with two 10.9s and two 10.8s, helping her to a total of 105.8. Buehlmeyer and Dvorsak followed on 105.2, and Park and Tashtchiev on 104.6. At the back were Arias and Ilie, who ultimately finished in seventh and eighth.
Meanwhile Ruppel had started the elimination shots well, scoring a 10.7 and 10.9 on her second series, while Park and Dvorsak dropped some lower scores, meaning the Korean finished sixth. Ruppel and Dvorsak were now level and 0.2 behind Tashtchiev. The Israeli scored 10.8 and 10.3 to move further ahead in third; and Dvorsak could only score 9.6 and 10.0, finishing fifth. Ruppel, who had scored a 10.8 and 9.8, had a little too much to do to get on the podium, finishing with a 10.6 and 10.5.
At the front, Kwon remained first, until the fourth elimination series when the Korean scored 10.1 and 10.3, while Buehlmeyer had two 10.4s. A 10.8 and 10.3 from Tashtchiev meant the top three were separated by 0.6. As quick as the German was leading, she was now in last position. A 9.9 and 10.1 meant she just stayed ahead of teammate Ruppel, but was now 0.2 behind Tashtchiev and one point behind Kwon. A 10.8 and 10.2 would not be enough, outscored by the Israeli's 10.6 and 10.7, who had now drawn level with Kwon, who dropped a 9.9.
But the experienced Korean kept her cool, hitting two 10.6s to secure the title on a total of 251.9 to Tashtchiev's 250.2.
Men's 10m Air Rifle
Maximilian Ulbrich was by far, the top qualifier in the men's 10m air rifle, finishing with a total of 635.7, ahead of Croatian Petar Gorsa on 634.2. Hungary's Istvan Peni also performed well, scoring 632.5.
There were four Germans in the top 10, with Max Ohlenburger in fourth, but only counting for ranking points. His teammates Daniel Buehlmeyer and world champion Maximilian Dallinger would make the final though, scoring 631.4 and 631.1. Austria's Martin Strempfl, Australia's Jack Rossiter and Spain's Jesus Oviedo made the cut too, with Olympic medallist Miran Maricic from Croatia just missing out.
In the final, Ulbrich kept his form from earlier in the day, leading the first competition stage with a total of 105.4, closely followed by Rossiter on 105.1. The chasers were Peni and Dallinger on 104.6 and Gorsa on 104.4. Then came Strempfl just 0.1 behind, while Oviedo scored 103.6 and Buehlmeyer far behind after a couple of sub-10 shots. That would leave to him exiting in eighth place.
Strempfl made two errors as the elimination shots started - first a 9.6 and then a 10.0 in the following series. Meanwhile, Oviedo had found his groove - first scoring 10.6 and 10.4 before backing it up with a 10.1 and 10.7. Rossiter was struggling. Having looked capable of a podium before the eliminations started, he dropped a 9.4 and 10.0 to fall behind Oviedo, in the battle for sixth. At the front, Ulbrich was looking great. A 10.9 and 10.5 were followed by a 10.8 and 10.4 to take a 1.7 lead ahead of Peni and Dallinger.
Rossiter ended in sixth, followed by Gorsa in fifth and Oviedo in fourth, who excelled in the elimination stage, just missing the medals.
At the front, Ulbrich remained firmly in the lead and held on for the gold medal with a total of 252.7, with Dallinger winning the battle for silver on 251.5, having pushed Peni into the bronze medal position.
Maximilian Ulbrich was by far, the top qualifier in the men's 10m air rifle, finishing with a total of 635.7, ahead of Croatian Petar Gorsa on 634.2. Hungary's Istvan Peni also performed well, scoring 632.5.
There were four Germans in the top 10, with Max Ohlenburger in fourth, but only counting for ranking points. His teammates Daniel Buehlmeyer and world champion Maximilian Dallinger would make the final though, scoring 631.4 and 631.1. Austria's Martin Strempfl, Australia's Jack Rossiter and Spain's Jesus Oviedo made the cut too, with Olympic medallist Miran Maricic from Croatia just missing out.
In the final, Ulbrich kept his form from earlier in the day, leading the first competition stage with a total of 105.4, closely followed by Rossiter on 105.1. The chasers were Peni and Dallinger on 104.6 and Gorsa on 104.4. Then came Strempfl just 0.1 behind, while Oviedo scored 103.6 and Buehlmeyer far behind after a couple of sub-10 shots. That would leave to him exiting in eighth place.
Strempfl made two errors as the elimination shots started - first a 9.6 and then a 10.0 in the following series. Meanwhile, Oviedo had found his groove - first scoring 10.6 and 10.4 before backing it up with a 10.1 and 10.7. Rossiter was struggling. Having looked capable of a podium before the eliminations started, he dropped a 9.4 and 10.0 to fall behind Oviedo, in the battle for sixth. At the front, Ulbrich was looking great. A 10.9 and 10.5 were followed by a 10.8 and 10.4 to take a 1.7 lead ahead of Peni and Dallinger.
Rossiter ended in sixth, followed by Gorsa in fifth and Oviedo in fourth, who excelled in the elimination stage, just missing the medals.
At the front, Ulbrich remained firmly in the lead and held on for the gold medal with a total of 252.7, with Dallinger winning the battle for silver on 251.5, having pushed Peni into the bronze medal position.