Matsuda (JPN) and Klimova (RUS) elected "Shooters of the Year 2010"
Based on their outstanding performances during the 2010 shooting season, the pistol shooters Kira Klimova of Russia and Tomoyuki Matsuda of Japan were elected as “Shooters of the Year 2010” by the International shooting sport journalists.
Matsuda Tomoyuki, 35-year old, form Yokohama (JPN) became the main protagonist of the 2010 Pistol Shooting season, by finishing in the spotlights at the 50th ISSF World Championship in all shooting events held in Munich, last August. There, Matsuda won both the 10m Air Pistol and the 50m Pistol men events, becoming the first Japanese athlete qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The expert sharpshooter, who started competing in the ISSF circuit in 2002, also finished on the podium at the ISSF World Cup Final in Munich and at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, this year, winning three Bronze medals back to back.
“Winning two medals at the World Championship? I was more surprised rather than happy. – The Japanese athlete said - I really wanted to make the final and get the quota place (for the Olympic Game), but I did not expect to finish in first.”
“I am less experienced than others. – Continued Matsuda “I have never won at the Olympic Games. Shooters such as Korea’s Jin and China’s Pang have won ISSF world cup medals several times, and showed their strength at the Olympic. Compared to them, I am still inexperienced shooter. But I am working on it!”
Kira Klimova of Moskov (RUS), 28, also left her sign on the 2010 season, thanks to her outstanding performances on the lines of the ISSF World Cup and World Championship circuits. The Russian athlete, who had never grabbed an international ISSF medal before, finished upon the highest podiums, this year. Boosted by two Silver medals won at the ISSF World Cup Stage in Fort Benning, USA, in May, she walked into the 50th ISSF World Championship highly motivated, eventually winning the world title in the 25m Pistol Women event. The young athlete, one of the first Russians to qualify for the 2012 Games, kept on winning also at the closing match of the year, the ISSF World Cup Final held in Munich last October. There, she ended up in first at the 10m Air Pistol Women event with ease, also winning the votes of the international sport journalists.
