The 39-year-old from the Czech Republic defeated Croatia's Josip Glasnovic, the 2013 European champion, by 14 to 12 hits in the gold medal match, having cleared qualification with 123 hits and navigated his way past a semi-final shoot-off with 14+1 hits in challenging conditions. 

"If you ask me now how I hit 14 targets in the semi-final, I don't have an answer," said Kostelecky.

"It has been so windy today, with send flying all over, that I can't believe we scored so many targets.

"It has been a tough match and I am glad that I finally made it."

"Winning the Olympic quota was the goal to achieve here.

"I was planning to participate in all World Cup stages this year, but now I think I will take some time off to train back home, and to give a chance to my team mates."

Croatia's Josip Glasnovic secured his place at Rio 2016 with the silver medal ©ISSF




Prior to his victory, Kostelecky had never won an ISSF gold medal during his 25-year-long shooting career.

"It feels great," added the father of two.

"I am [nearly] 40 and I had never won an ISSF World Cup stage.

"I thought I was never going to achieve one.

"Now it's here, in my hands, and it's will be a nice story to tell my sons."

Glasnovic's second-placed finish earned him the other Olympic quota place up for grabs in the event.

After losing out in the shoot-off for the gold medal match, Turkey's 2012 ISSF World Cup champion Oguzhan Tunzun secured the bronze medal, beating Italy's Daniele Resca by 12 to 11 hits.

Italy's Giovanni Pellielo, a two-time Olympic silver medallist and four-time world champion, qualified for the finals with a near-perfect score of 124 hits out of 125 targets, before losing three targets in the semi-final and ending up in fifth place with a score of 12 hits.

Three targets behind the world number two and current world record holder was Egypt's Abdel Aziz Mehelba, who closed the round in sixth with nine hits.

The action at the Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Gold Club is due to continue on Tuesday (March 24) with the men's double trap event.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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