Naphaswan makes history with a stunning gold medal, Sutiya wins silver
Lampang-native Naphaswan Yangpaiboon wrote a new chapter in the history of Thai shooting by becoming the first Thai ever to win a World Cup gold medal in the women’s 25m pistol in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The world No 14 shot 38 points in the final round, eight better than 2014 World and Asian Champion Zhang Jingjing of China. She became the first Thai, men or women, to win a World Cup gold medal in indoor shooting.
Last year Sutiya Jiewchaloemmit won the World Cup in Rio de Janeiro in skeet and trap. Sutiya herself also competed in India. She won the women's skeet silver after losing to American Rhode Kimberly 51-56 in the gold medal shoot.
“I am so overwhelmed to win this gold medal which I didn’t even expect before I came to India,” said the 28yearold. “I told myself to stay focused and hit one shot at a time. Even in the final I didn’t think about winning. Maybe competing without any expectations turned out well for me,” said Naphasawan, whose previous best result was a silฌver medal in the 2015 World Cup in China and a bronze in the 2015 World Cup in Germany.
“This win is psychological boost for me. All the hard work has paid off. I will try to keep on working hard for the Olympics,” she said. In fact, Naphasawan came seventh in the qualifiฌcation, firing 290 in precision and 289 in rapid for a combined 579. China’s Lin Yuemei and Zhang Jingjing finished first and second with 588 and 584 in the qualifying round.
However, the scores of the qualification were not taken into account for the final round, which consistฌed of eight shooters. Shooter with the lowest score was eliminated one by one until the gold medal batฌtle between Naphasawan and the world No 3 Zhang developed.
The 2016 Junior World Cup Champion and European Champion, Michelle Skeries of Germany, 20, who was making her first appearance in an ISSF World Cup event, claimed the bronze medal with 27 hits.
