Johnson, Cockbill shoot-off concludes Turkey World Cup

Also on Wednesday, Iranian world champion Sareh Javanmardidodmani equalled the P2 (women’s 10m air pistol SH1) world record during qualification.

An exciting shoot-off between New Zealand’s 2014 Worlds bronze medallist Michael Johnson and Great Britain’s Ryan Cockbill concluded competition at the IPC Shooting World Cup in Antalya, Turkey, on Friday (15 May).

Cockbill had enjoyed a convincing lead in R5 (mixed 10m air rifle prone SH2) over the New Zealander from the second elimination round, but triple Paralympian Johnson struck late on to force a draw of 212.1 points after the last round.

Johnson emerged victorious after shooting a 10.7 to Cockbill’s 10.4. Great Britain’s James Bevis was third with 190.0.

The win was the third of the season for Johnson and second closely fought competition of week with Cockbill after his R4 (mixed 10m air rifle standing SH2) gold on Wednesday (13 May).

Johnson (211.2) initially came from behind once again to overtake Cockbill (210.2), but Cockbill managed to equal the score to 189.0 in the penultimate round.

Despite the Briton shooting a 10.3 and even a 10.9 with his last shot, Johnson had the edge with a 10.6 and 10.7.

Serbian Sinisa Vidic (187.0) finished third.

Also on Wednesday, Iranian world champion Sareh Javanmardidodmani equalled the P2 (women’s 10m air pistol SH1) world record during qualification.

However Javanmardidodmani, who equalled the 381 point score of FYR Macedonia’s Olivera Nakovska-Bikova, fought to carry her form to the finals, just beating Russia’s Natalia Dalekova by 0.5.

Javanmardidodmani (194.0) looked destined to lose out to Dalekova (194.5) until the fifth elimination round following a series of sub 9.0 shots. It was then that the Russian herself dropped to a score of 8.6 and 9.7 to leave the way clear for Javanmardidodmani to seal victory in the final two rounds.

Dalekova’s teammate Oksana Berezovskaia’s (169.2) bronze never looked in doubt.

Turkey’s Korhan Yamac’s comeback to take gold in P1 (men’s 10m air pistol SH1) headlined the shooting on Thursday (14 May).

Home competitor Yamac (196.0) looked to be out of the running until Iranian leader Mahdi Zamanishurabi (193.8) dropped to a 7.8 in the fifth round, diminishing an initially significant lead. Following two sub 9.0 scores in the fifth by Zamanishurabi, Yamac took the lead and maintained it to the end.

Rastko Jokic (173.5) sealed Serbia’s first medal of the day in bronze.

Slovakia’s Veronika Vadovicova (205.3) took gold in R2 (women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1) to take her number of wins in 2015 to three, and number of wins this week to two.

Reigning world champion Vadovicova maintained her 100 per cent World Cup podium record this season, with the British duo of Deanna Coates (201.4) and Lorraine Lambert (179.2) in second and third respectively.

Rounding out the action in Antalya, European champion Laslo Suranji (202.0) stormed to a convincing victory for Serbia in R1 (men’s 10m air rifle standing SH1).

Suranji was joined on the podium by Slovakia’s Radoslav Morvay (197.7) who enjoyed a late surge to take silver from eventual Russian third-place finisher Vladimir Gentler (177.4).

Full results are available at IPC Shooting’s website.