Tribune News Network
DOHA
Former skeet champion Rashid Saleh Hamad returned to the Asian shotgun podium after a long gap of 11 years when the double Olympian helped Qatar bag two medals in Almaty, Kazakhstan on Tuesday.
Rashid, who won the Asian title in Jaipur in 2008, qualified for the finals with the third highest total behind Kuwait’s Mansour Al Rashedi and Chinese Jin Di, the eventual champion. He continued to shoot well and claimed the bronze medal, getting 45 in the finals.
Rashid, who completed his studies and is focusing full time on shooting now, began the season with the skeet title at the Qatar Open in Shotgun. Then he was fifth in the Al Ain World Cup as well.
An excited Rashid commented from Almaty, "I am so happy and thrilled with two medals in the Asian shotgun here. I finished third in the individual skeet and helped Qatar win the silver medal in the team event. It is very memorable day for me.
"I’m delighted to win an Asian medal after a long gap as I had bagged the Asian title in 2008. I was not able to do well in the Asian championships in recent years as I was busy with my studies and married life.
"But now my studies are over and I can devote more time to the sport that I love so much. Three months before, I was fifth in the World Cup in Al Ain and now I am third. I am rising steadily and quite glad the way I am progressing,” Rashid added.
The bronze medallist also said that this performance will lift him for the upcoming Asian Championships in Doha. "I will train harder and try to get ready for the Asian championships at home. There are three quota places at stake and Inshallah, I’ll try my best and win an Olympic quota place for Qatar.”
The 2014 Gabala World Cup Finals winner Jin Di followed up his 123 qualifying score with 58 and emerged the champion for a second time after beating UAE’s Saif Bin Futtais. In 2000 Vigan, the Philippines, he was the winner.
Futtais, the 2015 Larkana World Cup champion and three-time Asia winner, had to be satisfied with the silver when he managed 55.
Masoud Hamad Saleh was another Qatari to have qualified for the finals. He shot 120 and was able to get the sixth place with 16 hits.
Rashid also assisted the Qatar team to grab the team silver. Former Asian Games gold medallist Masoud Hamad Saleh and Abdulaziz al Attiyah were other members of the team. Masoud has also the Guangzhou Asian Games silver medal and 2007 Asian silver medal to his credit.ResultsThe following are the results of the men’s skeet finals
1.Jin Di (China) (24, 24, 25, 25, 25) 123 qualifying & 58 in finals
2.Saif Bin Futtais (UAE) (25, 25, 23, 24, 23) 120 & 55
3.Rashid Hamad Saleh (Qatar) (25, 23, 25, 25, 24) 122 & 45
4.Yongseong Cho (Korea) (24, 24, 24, 22, 25) 119 & 36
5.Mansour Al Rashedi (Kuwait) (25, 25, 24, 25, 25) 124 (EQAsR) & 26
6.Masoud Hamad Saleh (Qatar) (22, 25, 24, 25, 24) 120 & 16
DOHA
Former skeet champion Rashid Saleh Hamad returned to the Asian shotgun podium after a long gap of 11 years when the double Olympian helped Qatar bag two medals in Almaty, Kazakhstan on Tuesday.
Rashid, who won the Asian title in Jaipur in 2008, qualified for the finals with the third highest total behind Kuwait’s Mansour Al Rashedi and Chinese Jin Di, the eventual champion. He continued to shoot well and claimed the bronze medal, getting 45 in the finals.
Rashid, who completed his studies and is focusing full time on shooting now, began the season with the skeet title at the Qatar Open in Shotgun. Then he was fifth in the Al Ain World Cup as well.
An excited Rashid commented from Almaty, "I am so happy and thrilled with two medals in the Asian shotgun here. I finished third in the individual skeet and helped Qatar win the silver medal in the team event. It is very memorable day for me.
"I’m delighted to win an Asian medal after a long gap as I had bagged the Asian title in 2008. I was not able to do well in the Asian championships in recent years as I was busy with my studies and married life.
"But now my studies are over and I can devote more time to the sport that I love so much. Three months before, I was fifth in the World Cup in Al Ain and now I am third. I am rising steadily and quite glad the way I am progressing,” Rashid added.
The bronze medallist also said that this performance will lift him for the upcoming Asian Championships in Doha. "I will train harder and try to get ready for the Asian championships at home. There are three quota places at stake and Inshallah, I’ll try my best and win an Olympic quota place for Qatar.”
The 2014 Gabala World Cup Finals winner Jin Di followed up his 123 qualifying score with 58 and emerged the champion for a second time after beating UAE’s Saif Bin Futtais. In 2000 Vigan, the Philippines, he was the winner.
Futtais, the 2015 Larkana World Cup champion and three-time Asia winner, had to be satisfied with the silver when he managed 55.
Masoud Hamad Saleh was another Qatari to have qualified for the finals. He shot 120 and was able to get the sixth place with 16 hits.
Rashid also assisted the Qatar team to grab the team silver. Former Asian Games gold medallist Masoud Hamad Saleh and Abdulaziz al Attiyah were other members of the team. Masoud has also the Guangzhou Asian Games silver medal and 2007 Asian silver medal to his credit.ResultsThe following are the results of the men’s skeet finals
1.Jin Di (China) (24, 24, 25, 25, 25) 123 qualifying & 58 in finals
2.Saif Bin Futtais (UAE) (25, 25, 23, 24, 23) 120 & 55
3.Rashid Hamad Saleh (Qatar) (25, 23, 25, 25, 24) 122 & 45
4.Yongseong Cho (Korea) (24, 24, 24, 22, 25) 119 & 36
5.Mansour Al Rashedi (Kuwait) (25, 25, 24, 25, 25) 124 (EQAsR) & 26
6.Masoud Hamad Saleh (Qatar) (22, 25, 24, 25, 24) 120 & 16