Rifle: Campriani Wins Gold at World Champs
July 31, 2010 05:48 PM | General
July 31, 2010
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| Nicco Campriani |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - West Virginia University senior Nicco Campriani won the 10m men's air rifle at the 50th International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Championship, today, at the 1972 Olympic Shooting Range of Munich in Munich, Germany.
Campriani, a Florence native shooting for Italy, won the gold medal with a combined score of 702.5. The two-time National Rifle Association (NRA) first team All-American shot a near-perfect 599 (100, 100, 100, 100, 99, 100) in the competition round and 103.5 in the finals.
With the win, Campriani becomes the first qualified athlete among all sport events for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Additionally, his victory, in the championship's opening event, broke a 40-year world championship draught for the Italian shooting team.
"The Olympic quota place goes to the country, but I'm glad I won it," Campraini said to the ISSF. "I have secured an Olympic quota place, and now I want to fulfill my Olympic dream.
"After 40 years, Italy comes back to the top of the world championship podium in a rifle event. This is going to help me, the sport and our federation, and I am so happy."
Campriani, ranked No. 4 in the world in the event prior to today, is enjoying a strong summer, having already won the 10m men's air rifle gold at the Belgrade ISSF World Cup on July 1. He previously finished 12th at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games with a score of 594.
Junior Michael Kulbacki, shooting for the United States Junior National Team, also competed today and finished 37th in the 10m air rifle with a score of 585 (98-96-97-99-97-98). The DuBois, Pa., native and 2010 NRA air rifle first team All-American automatically qualified for the team virtue his third place, 10m air rifle finish at the USA Shooting National Championships on June 19.
The ISSF World Championship resumes tomorrow with the 50m men's rifle prone elimination rounds. The event's qualification relay and finals are scheduled for Aug. 2. Fans can follow the action at www.issf-sports.org.
