Doha, December 5 (QNA) - The ISSF Rifle, Pistol, and Shotgun World Cup Finals Doha 2025 opened Friday at the Lusail Shooting Complex.
The tournament, which will run until next Monday, features 144 elite shooters and world champions across all shotgun, rifle, and pistol disciplines.
The athletes include gold medalists from World Cups, top three finishers in World Championships, and the highest-ranked shooters from the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), representing 33 countries.
The opening ceremony of the tournament, which Qatar is hosting for the second time, was attended by Luciano Rossi, President of the ISSF; Kimberly Rod Harriman, Vice President of the ISSF; Alessandro Nicotra, Secretary General of the ISSF; Dr. Meshal Ibrahim Al Nasr, President of the Qatar Shooting and Archery Federation; Jassim Shaheen Al-Sulaiti, Tournament Director and Secretary General of the Qatar Shooting and Archery Federation; and a number of officials from both the Qatari and International Shooting Sport Federations.
At the start of the ceremony, Dr. Meshal Ibrahim Al Nasr welcomed the participants who had come from all corners of the globe to gather in Qatar, a land of sport, excellence, and innovation.
He noted that this global event is not merely a sporting championship, but a platform that brings together elite shooting champions and reflects the Olympic spirit based on respect, excellence, and fair competition.
He added, "This event embodies the International Shooting Sport Federation's (ISSF) overall confidence in the outstanding organizational capabilities of the State of Qatar, and its particular confidence in the Qatar Shooting Federation, under the vision of the Qatar Olympic Committee and the wise leadership of the State of Qatar."
For his part, Luciano Rossi, President of the ISSF, praised Qatar's organization of the ISSF World Cup Finals (rifle, pistol, shotgun), which commenced today at the Lusail International Shooting Range.
He emphasized that the State of Qatar has set a new standard for hosting international shooting championships, in terms of organization, the quality of the ranges, and the facilities, thus ensuring an ideal and safe environment for all competitions.
The ceremony began with a parade of the participating countries, followed by the honoring of the world's best shooters for 2025. China's Sun Yujie won the title of Best Female Pistol Shooter of the Year, while her compatriot Hu Kai received the award for Best Male Pistol Shooter of the Year.
In the rifle competition, Norway's Jeanette Hage Dosta was named Best Female Rifle Shooter of the Year, and her compatriot John Herman Haig received the award for Best Male Rifle Shooter of the Year.
In the shotgun competition, the United States' Samantha Simonton was named Best Female Shooter of the Year, and her compatriot Vincent Hancock received the award for Best Male Shooter of the Year.
The award for Best Trap Shooter of the Year was shared by Norway's Jeanette Hage Dosta and India's Zogvar Sandhu.
The President of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) also honored the coaches who participated in the International Coaches' Seminar held in Doha on the sidelines of the championship.
In a statement during the ceremony, Eng. Duaij Al Otaibi, President of the Kuwaiti and Arab Shooting Federations, member of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), and Secretary General of the Asian Shooting Confederation, affirmed that Qatar's hosting of the ISSF World Cup Finals for the second time represents "a turning point and a source of pride for all Arab sports." He commended Qatar's continuous efforts in attracting and organizing major sporting events.
For his part, President of the African and Egyptian Shooting Federations, member of the ISSF, and First Vice President of the Arab Shooting Federation, Hazem Hosny praised the exceptional organization of the ISSF World Cup Finals opening ceremony.
He noted that Qatar has successfully hosted this global event for the second time, following the 2023 edition. This championship will bring together an elite group of the best male and female shooters from the ISSF, including world and Olympic medalists.
It is worth noting that the championship commenced Friday, with the official training sessions for the various competitions (pistol, rifle, skeet, and trap for men and women), with the competitions scheduled to begin tomorrow, Saturday.
Saturday will also see the crowning of the male and female shooters in the 10-meter rifle and air pistol competitions.(QNA)