By Daniel Etchells

Silvana Stanco won the women's trap event to earn Italy an Olympic quota place ©ISSFItaly's Silvana Stanco claimed the women's trap event title on the opening day of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, to secure an Olympic quota place for her country. 

The 22-year-old beat San Marino's Alessandra Perilli by 11 to 10 hits to win the gold medal, having come through a three-way shoot-off to reach the final at the Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club.

"It feels great, but I still don't know if I will be going to Rio," said Stanco after adding a World Cup title to the one she won in Nicosia in 2013.

"The quota goes to my nation, and I will have to earn a spot in the Olympic team.

"I was a bit nervous, I admit it, especially going through the shoot-off to access the gold medal match but that's normal, I guess.

"I will go back home, work hard to make the team for the forthcoming international events."

San Marino's Alessandra Perilli took the runners-up spot to grant her country an Olympic quota place ©Getty ImagesSan Marino's Alessandra Perilli took the runners-up spot to grant her country an Olympic quota place ©Getty Images




Perilli's second-place finish also earned an Olympic quota place for San Marino, where shooting ranks as the national sport.

The 26-year-old, currently ranked 10th in the world, finished fourth at London 2012 to achieve San Marino's best ever performance in the history of the Olympic Games.

In the bronze medal match, Slovakia's Zuzana Rehak Stefecekova, the 2008 and 2012 Olympic silver medallist, overcame New Zealand's Natalie Ellen by 12 to 11 hits. 

Finland's Satu Makela-Nummela, the 2008 Olympic champion, finished fifth with a semi-final score of 13+1 hits, while, China's Weiyun Deng, who made the finals of the season-opening World Cup in Acapulco two weeks ago, took sixth spot with 11 qualification hits.

The action continues in Al Ain tomorrow with the men's trap event.

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