Skelhon crowned world champion as Ritchie takes bronze in Sydney

Matt Skelhon held his nerve when it mattered most as he claimed the 10m air rifle prone mixed SH1 title at the World Shooting Para Sport Championships in Sydney.

The Beijing 2008 Paralympic gold medallist scored a total of 253.2 points in the final to top the podium, finishing just 0.3 ahead of Australia’s Anton Zappelli.

Yan Yaping of China took the bronze medal with a score of 232.1 points, while World and European champion Veronika Vadovicova finished down in eighth on 125.6 points.

And 34-year-old Skelhon, who won World Cup gold in France last year and double silver in Croatia in July, was over the moon to be crowned world champion again.

“I came in here wanting to win, but it was tight with the top three so you never know,” Skelhon said. “But it was my goal, I wanted to be world champion again and I achieved it.”

Skelhon is not the only GB shooter to taste success on the opening two days of action at the Sydney International Shooting Centre, with Allan Ritchie also finishing on the podium.

Ritchie took the bronze medal in the Shotgun PT1 Mixed Trap Seated SG-S final, finishing behind champion Oreste Lai of Italy and silver medallist Juha Myllymaki.

Day three of the championships will see Issy Bailey in action in the Mixed 10m Air Pistol Standard SH1 final, while Lorraine Lambert looks to qualify in the women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1.

Michael Whapples then competes in the Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH-VI classification on the final day, before James Bevis and Ryan Cockbill go for glory in the Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH2.