Petriv comes back to grab another shooting gold for Ukraine

(BEIJING, August 16) -- Oleksandr Petriv of Ukraine was ranked fourth after the qualification round of the Men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol, only above German shooters Ralf Schumann and Christian Reitz. However, the three shooters with the lowest qualification scores were the ones who won the medals today.

Petriv won the gold medal with a total score of 780.2 (including 200.2 from the final), a new Olympic record for the final score. Schumann, who was tied with compatriot Reitz after the qualification stages on 579 points, beat Reitz by two-tenths of a point and secured the silver medal with a final score of 779.5. The bronze medal was left to Reitz who scored a final score of 779.3.

Keith Sanderson of the United States, who shot an Olympic record 583 in the qualification stages, performed poorly in the final, scoring only 193.6 to finish fifth with a final score of 776.6. Leonid Ekimov of Russia and Roman Bondaruk of Ukraine also shot poorly in the final after finishing second and third after the qualification stages. Ekimov (778.2) finished fourth and Bondaruk (774.7) finished sixth.

Petriv's victory must come as a surprise to both Schumann and Reitz. Schumann was searching for his fourth Olympic gold medal in the event, while Reitz is the world record holder.

Petriv's compatriot Artur Ayvazian won the gold medal in the Men's 50m Rifle Prone yesterday.