CHATEAUROUX, France, July 30 (Xinhua): Zorana Arunovic and Damir Mikec came from behind to edge Sevval Ilayda Tarhan and Yusuf Dikec of Türkiye 16-14 in the 10m air pistol mixed team final to secure Serbia's first gold medal of the Paris Olympics here on Tuesday.
The two teams were tied at 14-14, and it all came to the final shot, where Mikec shot for an impressive 10.7 to help Serbia clinch victory.
It is the first Olympic gold for Mikec in five Olympic Games. He won silver in the men's 10m air pistol in Tokyo three years ago.
"We work for all our lives to get on the highest podium and win the biggest medal that exists in all sports. This is a celebration of sport, this is a holiday of sport, and I'm so happy to be a part of it," said 40-year-old Mikec, who dedicated his medal to his late mother who passed away in 2003, the one who encouraged him to pick up shooting in the first place.
An emotional Arunovic dedicated hers to her late teammate and friend Bobana Momcilovic Velickovic, multiple European champion, who passed away after a short and severe illness at the age of 31 in 2020.
Despite the narrow defeat, 51-year-old Dikec, also a five-time Olympian, also has a reason to celebrate as the silver is his first ever Olympic medal.
Tarhan and Dikec took an early 8-2 lead but Arunovic and Mikec won five of the following six series to move ahead at 12-10. The Turkish team won the following two series and got gold medal point at 14-12 thanks to a high-level performance by Dikec, but the Serbians leveled up with a 10.8 from Arunovic and a 10.5 from Mikec, before sealing the dramatic victory.
Serbia win gold in shooting mixed team air pistol
FE Team | Published: July 31, 2024 00:43:15
Serbia win gold in shooting mixed team air pistol
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