American shooting giants Vincent Hancock and Kimberly Rhode yesterday exhibited superb form to win the gold in the mixed team skeet competition on day four of the ISSF World Cup Shotgun 2023.Hancock and Rhode – both Olympic champions – bagged the gold medal clash against France’s Eric Delaunay and Lucie Anastassiou (6-0) at the Lusail Shooting Range (LSR), the home venue of the March 3-13 championship."I feel good. I know that I was shooting really, really well this entire match. Last night, the conditions were a little bit different. We were all shooting at them. So (today) it was just different,” Hancock said after the match."I shot really, really well. I’m super thankful and happy about how I did. I mean, those were the only two targets I missed the entire time I was in Doha, even in practice. So it was a really good competition for me. I’m happy to be able to stand up here on the top of the podium today in the mixed team with my teammate and we are going home with a gold medal,” he added.When asked if he felt pressure while shooting with Rhode, Hancock said: "Honestly, shooting with her takes all the pressure away! So, it’s just a lot of fun because with this team here, it’s always fun to compete with a team because you have a little bit of that camaraderie just playing back and forth. But knowing that we’re competing together, we’ve won at the highest levels possible, and you put us together. We feel really confident. I think I speak for both of us that we have each other.”Rhode said winning two gold medals in Doha gives her confidence going forward. "Well, hopefully the Olympics. I think that’s what everybody says, right? I mean, that’s our goal. But at the end of the day, I just feel very fortunate. To have all that training and hard work pay off and to be out here with some of the best competitors in the world. It’s just truly I feel blessed, very, very fortunate to be able to do what I love every day,” Rhode said with a smile.Italian pair Luigi Lodde and Diana Bacosi bagged the bronze (6-2) against Chile’s Hector Andres Flores Barahona and Francisca Crovetto Chadid.Around 465 shooters from 63 countries are taking part in the championship hosted by Qatar Shooting and Archery Association.
March 08, 2023 | 11:40 PM