RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Morgan Hicks (Roy, Washington), a 2004 Olympian and Head Coach for the University of Nebraska Rifle Team, won the gold medal Saturday in the 50m 3 Position Women's Rifle event at the 2008 ISSF World Cup for Rifle and Pistol in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Hicks finished in first place with a total score of 677.9 points (581 + 96.9). She was joined on the medal podium by Lidija Mihajlovic of Serbia and Annik Marguet of Switzerland.
Danish shooter Charlotte Jakobsen entered the qualification round with the highest score of 583 points, but finished the final round in last place after scoring a series of disappointing shots. Her final score of 670.7 points (583 + 87.7) placed her in eighth place and left room for Hicks, who managed to move form the third spot up to first place. Hicks gained the lead after a few final shots and eventually closed the match winning her first ever World Cup medal.
Mihajlovic, the current number one shooter in the world in this event, battled to the end to get a spot on the podium after starting in seventh place with a five point disadvantage from the leaders. Shooting today's highest 10-shot score (97.3 points), Mihajlovic earned the silver, leaving the bronze to Swiss's Marguet who closed just two tenths of point behind her.
Norwegian shooter Ingrid Stubsjoen placed fourth, followed by Esmari Van Reenen, who finished fifth. U.S. shooter Amy Sowash (Richmond, Ky.) competed in her first ISSF World Cup final match, shooting a total score of 672.3 points (577 + 95.3), placing in sixth place in front of Darya Shytko of Ukraine, who took seventh.
The 50m 3 Position Women's Rifle event was the last match of the 2008 ISSF Rifle/Pistol World Cup in Rio de Janeiro.
The next ISSF World Cup will be held in Beijing, China, which will serve as the test event for the 2008 Olympic Games. The competition runs April 11 - 20.
Additional results for other U.S. shooters competing at the Rio World Cup:
Rifle:
Men's Air Rifle
Jason Parker (2008 Olympic team member in Men's Air Rifle) - 6th place, 697.6
Hank Gray - 21st place, 589
Men's 3 Position Rifle
Jason Parker - 4th place, 1263.4
Mike Anti - 8th place, 1257.5
Hank Gray, 10th place, 1161
Men's Prone Rifle
Chris Abalo - 18th place, 594
Hank Gray - 24th place, 592
Mike Anti - 25th place, 592
Women's Air Rifle
Amy Sowash - 13th place, 392
Morgan Hicks - 30th place, 387
Women's 3 Position Rifle
Morgan Hicks - 1st place, 677.9
Amy Sowash - 6th place, 672.3
Nicole Cooper - 17th place, 571
Pistol:
Men's Air Pistol
Brian Beaman - 12th place, 577
Jason Turner (2008 Olympic team member in Men's Air Pistol) - 13th place, 576
Men's 50m Pistol
Jason Turner - 4th place, 651.7
Brian Beaman - 6th place, 650.9
Women's Air Pistol
Sandra Uptagrafft - 23rd place, 375
Libby Callahan - 26th place, 372
Women's 25m Pistol
Libby Callahan - 11th place, 575
Sandra Uptagrafft - 20th place, 568
For complete results from the Rifle/Pistol World Cup in Rio, please visit the following link on ISSF TV's website: http://www.issf.tv/issftv_table.aspx?mod=csdt&pane=10&inst=1&iist=827&collapse=results
Mary Beth Vorwerk
Manager, Media and Public Relations
USA Shooting
1 Olympic Plaza
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
719.866.4896 (phone)
719.866.4884 (fax)
www.usashooting.org
