Qatar’s Rashid Saleh al-Athba produced a near-flawless display to win the men’s skeet gold medal at the ISSF World Cup Hangzhou 2026 on Thursday, edging Spain’s Jose Maria Mielgo Moneo in a thrilling final.
In Hangzhou, al-Athba showcased exceptional consistency throughout the contest, hitting 35 of his 36 targets to clinch the title. The Qatari shooter carried a perfect score deep into the final before missing only his final target, by which time the gold medal had already been secured.
The battle for the top step of the podium remained intense, with Mielgo Moneo matching al-Athba for much of the contest. The Spaniard finished with 34 hits, missing just two targets to settle for the silver medal after an outstanding performance.
China's Lyu Jianlin delighted the home crowd by claiming the bronze medal with 29 hits. Lyu remained firmly in medal contention throughout the final before securing another podium finish for the host nation.
Peru’s Nicolas Pacheco Espinosa narrowly missed out on the medals, finishing fourth with 25 hits. Japan’s Shotaro Toguchi placed fifth after prevailing in a tie-break against India’s Gurjoat Khangura, with both shooters ending on 19 hits.
Italy’s Niccolo Sodi finished seventh, while France’s Nicolas Le Jeune placed eighth after both were eliminated with eight hits.
The victory marks another major international success for al-Athba, whose composure and precision under pressure earned him the biggest prize in a final featuring athletes from seven nations and further underlined Qatar’s growing stature in world shooting.
The World Cup continues on Friday with more rifle, pistol and shotgun medals to be decided as the competition enters its closing stages.
