SHOOTING Competition Buenos Aires 2018

Summer Youth Olympics 2018 

SHOOTING Competition Buenos Aires 2018

New Zealand’s Gold Medal Win in Triathlete

BUENOS AIRES - Stephanie Grundsoee (DEN) endured a nerve-shredding finale in the women’s 10m air rifle at the Youth Olympic Games on Monday, as she feared she would miss out on gold to India’s Mehuli Ghosh.

Grundsoee finished strongly with a 10.4-point shot, but that left Ghosh needing to shoot 9.9 to secure the title. All Ghosh’s previous 23 shots in the final round had been 10pts or better.

The dramatic finale brought the crowd at Sarmiento Park to their feet, but the Indian could score only 9.1 to finish second.

“It was a very nervous few seconds after my last shot,” said Grundsoee. “I shot a 10.4 and I know that is a high score, but I also knew it was going to be difficult to win gold with that. I didn’t hope that Mehuli did bad, but I’m happy I won the gold medal in the end.”

Despite having to settle for silver, Ghosh was all smiles. “This is a very proud moment for me,” she said. “It is a second medal for India in shooting in this Games, which is a pretty good feeling.”

Women's 10m air rifle medallists (left to right) Mehuli Ghosh, Stephanie Grundsoee and Marija Malic (Kate Green for OIS/IOC)

Marija Malic (SRB) won bronze, to repeat her feat at the 2018 European championship.

Serbia and India repeated the success they had in the men’s competition on Sunday, when they also won a silver and bronze.

Sofia Benetti (ITA), the youngest of the final eight at 16, finished seventh - and could not hide her disappointment.

“I feel bad now because I feel like every effort that I made to get to this competition was in vain,” said the shooter from Verona. “I know I could do better and maybe the nerves affected me and I made mistakes.”

Alliana Volkart (ARG), who missed out on the final after finishing 13th, said: “I felt good at the beginning but then I think nerves got to me and that made it tougher. But I’m proud of the way I was able to improve and close a lot stronger.”

Fifteen-year-old Amira Hamid (BAN) placed 17th, but was up for her next challenge. “I didn’t have a very good result but now the most fun part of the Youth Olympics is coming: the mixed team event. I really look forward to that.

Hamid will team up with Changhong Zhang (CHN) in the 10m air rifle mixed international team competition, which starts on Wednesday (10 October).