Chetcuti leaves for World Cup finals

Double trap shooter William Chetcuti departed for the United Arab Emirates yesterday ahead of his participation in the ISSF World Cup finals. The double trap competition is scheduled to take place on Tuesday.

The World Cup finals, hosted annually by the international governing body of shooting, bring together the leading shooters in each category.

Chetcuti booked his place in the ISSF finals after winning the gold medal at the World Cup shoot held in Beijing last April.

On that occasion, Chetcuti topped the field with an overall score of 185 points, in the process securing qualification for next year’s London Olympics. Chetcuti finished ahead of India’s Ronjan Sodhi (183) and China’s Li Jun (182).

Sodhi and Li will be among Chetcuti’s rivals in the 13-man competition at the Al Ain shooting range. Olympic champion Walton Eller, of the US, and Italian duo Marco Innocenti and Daniele Di Spigno will also be vying for the world title in the UAE.

This is the second time Chetcuti has qualified for the ISSF World Cup finals. In 2005, he missed out on a place on the podium by just one clay after finishing fourth with 183 points, one short of Vasily Mosin, of Russia, and Eller.

Coach Jimmy Bugeja is assisting Chetcuti in Abu Dhabi.