As Doha prepares to host the first International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup final to be held in four years, ISSF President Luciano Rossi has hinted that Qatar may also host the event next year.
Speaking tonight at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel during an Opening Ceremony attended by some of the sport’s most illustrious Olympic and world champions, the President commented:
“I am confident, inshallah, that Qatar will even host the 2024 World Cup final again in the year of the Olympics, where we can celebrate all together the Olympic medallists.”
He added the next year Qatar was set to host “the most important competition before Paris 2024 – the shotgun qualification tournament where the last quota places will be claimed.”
A total of 179 athletes from 42 nations are in the Qatari capital to contest the 12 individual events that will be part of next year’s Olympic programme, with the additional excitement of Super Finals for selected disciplines.
Among the audience was three-times Olympic champion and six-times Olympian Kimberly Rhode.
Also in attendance was Croatia’s London 2012 trap gold medallist and current world and European Games champion Giovanni Cernogoraz and Italy’s London 2012 women’s trap gold medallist and three-times world champion Jessica Rossi.
“It is a great honour for me to be with you today for the Opening Ceremony of the ISSF World Cup Final 2023 – a hugely welcome addition to our calendar that we strongly re-establish after a four-years absence,” the President said.
“Here in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel tonight we will celebrate once again the spirit of sportsmanship that exists within the world shooting sport family as we arrive at the climax of the season – and look ahead to the Paris Olympics.
“I would first like to extend, on behalf of ISSF, our sincere gratitude to our hosts here in Doha, where we know we will benefit from matchless hospitality and world-class facilities.
“Thank you to the Qatar Olympic Committee President H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani for his support of this event.
“And a special thanks to the President of the Qatar Shooting and Archery Federation, my dear friend Mishaal Al Nasr. Big applause – he has worked hard and very, very well – him and his federation.
“Thank you all for your warm welcome and hard work to prepare this World Cup final.
“Our shooting athletes are looking forward once again to competition at the superb Lusail Shooting Range which hosted an outstanding Shotgun World Cup in March.
“Three-times Olympic champion and six-times Olympian Kimberly Rhode, our viced-president who won two golds in that competition for the United States, is among a host of illustrious competitors who are back in the capital with hopes of ending their season on a high…
“And we know the host nation, with a team of 12 talented athletes, will be eager to make its mark on the competition.
“With less than a year to go before the Olympic Games in Paris we are bringing together the best athletes from all shooting disciplines.
“We are confident that this will be another excellent promotion both for our sport and our fantastic athletes.
“On your behalf, I am proud to be able defend and promote the status of shooting sports inside the Olympic Family.
“We are proud to have been part of the Games since the first modern edition in 1896. And the founder of the Games, Baron Pierre De Coubertin, was a pistol shooter – let nobody forget.
“And we are working very hard to show that our sport is relevant and appealing and can be part of the Olympic future as well.
“The future is a very exciting one, and I believe that this World Cup Final in Doha will mark an important milestone in this journey.
“Let me finally thank again the Qatari authorities, all the volunteers, the sponsor partners, broadcasters, and media and all the coaches, officials and of course our technical delegates, without whom this sport could not exist.
“But above all, thanks to all our athletes. I wish you all the best of luck and look forward to a wonderful competition.”
Tomorrow will see training for all disciplines taking place at the Lusail facility on the outskirts of the capital, concluding with pre-event training for the 10m Air Pistol Men and 10m Air Pistol Women, which will stage the first two finals of the event on Tuesday (November 21).
Fuente: http://www.issf-sports.org
