Qi Ying becomes China's first men's trap winner at ISSF World Cup Final

NEW DELHI - Olympic silver medalist Qi Ying won China's fifth gold medal at the ISSF World Cup Final in the men's trap with 47 hits, as the season-ending tournament concluded here on Thursday.

Qi, who made all of his first 35 targets, led the field throughout the final, claiming his first World Cup Final gold in the same place where he had debuted at the prestigious tournament as a double trap shooter in 2017.

The victory also made him China's first-ever World Cup Final winner in the men's trap event. Vivaan Kapoor took the silver three hits behind on home soil and N Tolga Tuncer of Turkey finished third.

"Clinching my maiden World Cup Final title is just a beginning for me. I hope to get better and better in future training and competitions," said 27-year-old Qi, who made history at Paris 2024 by winning China's first Olympic medal in the men's trap.

He picked out the Olympics and the World Cup Final as his special memories in 2024. "I had a relatively stable performance in the first half of the year but didn't make it to the final in major competitions. Experience from the Olympics and this World Cup Final will help improve my training and mentality."

Italy became the biggest winner on the last competition day with one gold and three silver medals, as Tammaro Cassandro and Gabriele Rossetti had a one-two finish in the men's skeet with just one hit separating them, 57 to 56.

Cassandro described the feeling of winning his maiden World Cup Final title as "amazing."

"I finished fourth at the Olympic Games. I take one gold medal competing against my friend Gabriele Rossetti, I'm happy for the competition," said the 31-year-old.

Rossetti had a strong start in the final, staying perfect after the first 30 targets and led the competition for the majority of time until Cassandro tied it at 51-51, and then 53-53 ahead of the final series, which saw Rossetti miss his last target and the chance to force a shoot-off. Olympic bronze medalist Anant Jeet Singh Naruka of India added a World Cup Final bronze to his collection.

Despite having to settle for a silver, 29-year-old Rossetti was happy to wrap up the year with a podium finish.

"It's very nice. This is my third World Cup Final medal. It's the last competition of the year after I got the gold medal at the Olympic Games. I come here just to enjoy, to do my best," he said.

"It's a very nice season but I want to go back home, work a lot against and stay ready for the next season," he continued, adding that "a part of my plan is on LA."

Rossetti's Olympic-winning partner Diana Bacosi also claimed a silver in the women's skeet, two hits behind American shooter Samantha Simonton's 56 hits. Lucie Anastassiou of France took the bronze.

Erica Sessa (39 hits) added another silver for Italy in the women's trap, which saw Alessandra Perilli of San Marino (45 hits) secure the title one series in advance. It was the second World Cup Final gold for the 36-year-old, whose previous one came in 2015.

"I was fully prepared for the Olympic Games, but did not manage to get into the final, and I need this victory to get ready for the new Olympic cycle," said Perilli, who finished 15th at the Paris Olympics after becoming San Marino's first-ever Olympic medalist in Tokyo.

The bronze went to Safiye Temizdemir of Turkey.

After three days of competitions, China topped the medal tally with five gold and three bronze medals. Italy sat second with one gold, three silvers and one bronze, followed by Germany with one gold and two silvers.