Bakken shot world cup gold after five rifle finals

Norway’s rifle shooter Ole Magnus Bakken won the 50m Rifle 3 Positions men event at the ISSF World Cup held at the Olympic shooting range of Beijing. The 20-year old shooter grabbed gold with a total score of 1276.7 points (qualification 1179 pts + final 97.7 pts), displaying extreme self-confidence. Photo: Issf.org

China April 24 – Ole Magnus Bakken has won two ISSF World Cup medals within a few days. He had placed in third in the 50m Rifle Prone men competition, at the 1st ISSF World Cup Stage held last week in Changwon, Korea, and he surprised everybody by winning today’s gold.

“Finally a gold medal came.  I made into five out of six final matches, throughout the last two World Cup stages… I was looking for this medal,” said the young athlete right after the final match, where he upset the 2000 Olympic Champion Rajmond Debevec of Slovenia to climb on the highest step of the podium.

The Norwegian athlete had never participated in world-level competition until two weeks ago. The debuting rifle shooter had shot a few fair placements at the European Championships, in 2007 and 2008, but he had never had a chance to prove his skills in a world arena such as the ISSF World Cup in Olympic events.

“I started shooting Olympic events when I was 16 – said Bakken – but my results peaked in the last two years. It’s great to be on the podium today!” continued the Norwegian athlete.

“Five finals, in three different Olympic rifle events, within 2 weeks… I had never seen something like this!” commented about Bakken’s result Herald Stenvaag, Norway’s six times Olympians.

“London 2012 is in my dream!”  said the 20-year old shooter “I want to shoot well in this year World Cup series, and then at the 2010 World Championships. I could not make it for Beijing. London is still far, but that’s my big goal!”

Source: Issf-shooting.org