Italian Alessandro Chianese battled windy conditions and a strong challenge from Qatar’s Hamad al-Marri to win the Qatar Open Shotgun Championship Double Trap gold yesterday.
In the final shoot-out, the 27-year-old Italian hit 66 targets out of 80, leaving in-form Hamad al-Marri in second spot with 65 hits and the silver medal.
Last year’s winner and Chianese’s compatriot, Olympic silver medalist Marco Innocenti, claimed the bronze.
Going into the final, Chianese was two points ahead of al-Marri (57-59) and maintained the lead until the half way mark. But al-Marri showed his class to equal the score at 61-all before they tied again at 64-all.
But al-Marri missed his final shot, while Chianese was on target to clinch the gold.
“I think I was not lucky today. Sport and life are always like that, but I am happy to shoot well and win the silver medal,” the 42-year-old Qatari said.
Al-Marri, who has been taking part in the Asian Games since 2002, carded 134, along with eventful winner Chianese, in the qualifying rounds to make it to the final round of six.
“I am feeling great to have won the silver medal. The weather was really difficult. I think the wind was blowing at more than 35kmph. It affected all the shooters. I am happy with my level….but I’d have wished to do better than what I got in the end. The level of shooters is quite high. So I am delighted with my performance. It is like a mini world cup here as all the top shooters were competing,” he said.
About his participation in the World Cup in New
Delhi, al-Marri said he was yet to take a decision.
“I will sit down with my team and take a decision whether to take part in the World Cup in Delhi,” said the Qatari.
For al-Marri, this is second medal in quick succession this year at an international completion. At the beginning of the month, he won gold at the 13th Arab Shooting Championship in Kuwait in Double Trap.
“I am gaining a lot after winning gold in Kuwait and silver here and hope to win more medals for my country,” he said.
Chianese was happy to top the field in Doha in the first competition of the year.
“It was a tough final. The wind was quite strong and we all had to work harder than usual,” he said.
This was my first event of the season….So it is a good test for my preparations. This is my first time to be on the podium here. It is good feeling how I shot today. Also I’m quite delighted with my form before going to India for the World Cup,” the Italian said.
In the battle for the bronze medal, 38-year-old Innocenti warded off competition from Khaled al-Kaabi of UAE to take the third place. Qatar’s Masoud Ali came fifth followed by Saif al-Shamsi of UAE.
Multiple World Cup winner Innocenti also lauded the efforts of Chianese as he said: “My friend Alessandro is a young shooter and he did very well to win here. I am not happy with my performance today, but we’re happy that we’re going to New Delhi with good results.”
The skeet finals will be held tomorrow and Tuesday.