Richmond, the 2005 junior world champion in the discipline, was in scintillating form en route to the final, hitting 30 targets from 30 shots in his semi-final to set up a meeting with Italy's Antonino Barillà in the decider.

With both men assured of an Olympic quota place for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, it was a straight shoot-out for the right to be called world champion and it was the American who held on to that crown with a narrow 30-29 win in a high quality final.

"It's amazing to be back on top," said 28-year-old Richmond.

"The first one that I won was big: a great venue, crowded with people, with a quota spot on the line.

"The World Championship is always a great match, everybody is out there looking for a quota, and it's tough.

"To do it again four year later it's amazing, I would have never guessed that."

Reigning European and Commonwealth Games champion Steven Scott of Great Britain secured the bronze medal, beating off the challenge of former two-time world champion Daniele Di Spigno of Italy.

The performances of Barillà and Di Spigno were enough to secure Italy the team title in the Spanish city with a world record equalling score of 424 ahead of the US and China.

In the men's 25 metre rapid fire pistol final, South Korean Kim Jun Hong shot his way to gold in his first appearance at a World Championships.

Kim Jun Hong of South Korea celebrates his first world title at the Shooting World Championships in Granada ©ISSF




The 23-year-old beat Germany's Oliver Geis 33 to 30 hits to finish atop of the podium, with both men securing Rio 2016 spots.

China's Li Yuehong repeated his performance from Munich in 2010 by claiming the bronze medal.

Geis, along with compatriots Christian Reitz and Aaron Sauter, celebrated picking up the team title with Czech Republic and Russia winning silver and bronze respectively.

Meanwhile, Sarah Hornung of Switzerland continued her fine recent form by adding the women's 10m air rifle junior world title to her gold medal from the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing last month.

The 18-year-old won by just 0.1 points after being pushed right to the wire by Italy's Martina Zivani, while bronze for Selina Gschwandtner helped Germany to team honours.

"It feels great to win this title," said Hornung.

"I can't really compare the [Summer] Youth Olympic Games and the World Championships.

"I had the same feelings going into the final today."

Gschwandtner, Nina Laura Kreutzer and Charleen Baenisch set a junior world record of 1246.5 points to finish clear of Iran, while Hornung picked up her second medal as Switzerland took team bronze.

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