On a milestone Sunday in Nicosia, Cyprus, China’s Qi Ying and 19-year-old Zhang Zixi clinched the country’s first ever mixed team trap gold medal at the ISSF World Cup. The duo’s 42-39 victory marked a breakthrough in a high-stakes showdown that captivated shooting sport fans around the globe.
Fresh from missing out on the men’s trap final, Olympic silver medalist Qi teamed up with rising star Zhang for the mixed-team event. They entered the decider as the second qualifiers, edging out the Turkish pair in a tense shootoff and trailing only Poland’s Tomasz Pasierbski and Sandra Bernal.
The final duel remained neck and neck until Pasierbski delivered a flawless round to nudge ahead. Undeterred, Qi matched that perfection in the next series, propelling his team to a 40-34 lead. With nerves of steel, the Chinese pair held their advantage, sealing gold with a 42-39 finish.
This historic triumph shines a spotlight on China’s growing dominance in mixed events and highlights the power of pairing experience with youth. As mixed categories gain prominence on the Olympic stage, Qi and Zhang’s performance sets the bar for future matchups and cements their status as a team to watch.
Reference(s):
Qi and Zhang win China's first mixed team trap gold at ISSF World Cup
cgtn.com
