Chen Dongqi, a two-time World Cup bronze medallist, secured the women's 50 metre rifle three positions gold medal in the Azerbaijan city, edging out compatriot Yi Siling by 0.8 points.

Chen finished the kneeling series in the lead with 152.9 points and continued shooting solidly through the prone series, maintaining her advantage with 308.4 points.

Holding on to first place through the standing series, she won the match with 456.2 points, while Yi, the reigning 10m air rifle Olympic champion, took silver with 455.4 points.

"I was feeling nervous during the competition, but I tried to calm down by telling myself that I could make it and luckily it went that way," said Chen.

"I am very happy now, even if I was a bit stressed during the match.

"I felt really great in the days leading to this World Cup stage.

"Today's result proves that we have been working in the right direction to prepare the competition."

Yi’s silver was her second World Cup medal of the season in the event, having collected bronze in Munich earlier this year.

Russia’s Anna Zhukova followed the two Chinese athletes, claiming bronze with 444.8 points, while the two Rio 2016 Olympic quotas up for grabs in the final went to Poland's Sylwia Bogacka, sixth with 411.6 points, and Switzerland's Jasmin Mischler, seventh with 400.0 points.

In the following men’s 10m air pistol final, South Korea’s Kim Cheongyong won gold to secure his second medal in just three days and ensure an Olympic quota place for his country.

The 18-year-old shooter, winner of a 50m pistol bronze on Tuesday (August 11), closed on 199.0 points to overcome Kazakhstan's Vladimir Issachenko just before the final shot.

Issachenko had held the lead for much of the second part of the final, but on the second-last shot he hit a 7.8 allowing Kim to overtake him and claim first spot.  

"I feel very good," said Kim.

"I was very focused on the competition and I am happy that I secured a Rio 2016 quota to my country.

"Now I want to go home and relax."

Silver medallist Issachenko finished narrowly behind Kim with 197.4 points, while Slovakia's Juraj Tuzinsky, who had been leading the final in its early stages, took the bronze, his first World Cup medal, with 178.9 points.

The performance of Issachenko and compatriot Rashid Yunusmetov, fifth with 138.6 points, secured two tickets to Rio 2016 for Kazakhstan. 

China top the World Cup medal standings with five golds, three silvers and one bronze, followed by the United States with two golds and two silvers, and South Korea, with one gold, two silvers and one bronze.

The action in Gabala is due to continue tomorrow with three more medal matches scheduled. 

Competition will begin with the men's 50m rifle three positions final followed by the women's 10m air pistol and the women's trap finals.


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