Josh Richmond Wins Gold at Lonato World Cup
OutdoorHub 05.06.12
Two weeks ago Josh Richmond(USAMU/Hillsgrove, Pa.) and his wife Scharri were celebrating the birth of their second son, Beaux, and today at a International Shooting Sport (ISSF) World Cup in Lonato, Italy, Beaux’s daddy made sure that the party would continue for now as Josh won a Double Trap gold medal Sunday.
The Richmond’s hope the hot-shooting will continue through the upcoming Olympic Games in London. Three competitions into the 2012 season and Richmond has two medals in each of the competitions he’s participated in including a bronze medal at the Tucson World Cup in late March.
The Army Staff Sergeant saved his best for last this Sunday with a perfect 50/50 third round, the only unblemished mark of all 56 competitors. With a pair of 47s on the board in his previous two rounds, Richmond got hot at the right time and rode that momentum into the final where he tied for the highest final, dropping just one target. His total score of 193 targets would put him two ahead and secure his eighth World Cup medal overall.
“My motivation is great on the road to the London Olympics,” said Richmond in an interview with the ISSF. “It’s great to get this gold here where I won a World Championship title and my first World Cup gold.”
Richmond, by virtue of his performance in World Cups and as the 2010 World Champion has already secured a spot on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team.
In other action Sunday, the USA Shooting Team advanced two into the Women’s Skeet Final with Kim Rhode (El Monte, Calif.) finishing fourth while Caitlin Connor (Winnfield, La.) picked up a sixth-place finish. The four-time Olympic medalist, Rhode had a preliminary score of 72 among the talented field but a final round 22/25 saw her tied with Chile’s Francisca Chadid Crovetto in a shoot-off dual for the bronze medal. Eventually, it was the 22-year-old Crovetto, today’s youngest finalist, who beat the veteran Rhode 2 to 1 hits, stepping onto the podium to receive her very first ISSF medal.
The Lonato World Cup will come to an end Monday with the Men’s Skeet competition. Competing for Team USA are Dustin Perry (Crockett, Texas), Frank Thompson (Alliance, Neb.) and 2004 Olympian Shawn Dulohery (Lees Summit, Mo.). Thompson leads the American trio having connected on 48/50 targets. Perry sits at 45/50 targets hit while Dulohery missed six of 50 targets through the first two rounds.
Through three World Cup events in 2012, the USA Shooting Team for Shotgun has earned eight World Cup medals, including four gold.
