By Paul Osborne

The ISSF Pistol and Rifle World Cup Finals got underway today in MunichNovember 8 - The best shooters in the world met in Munich today as the start of the International Shooting Sport Federation's Rifle and Pistol World Cup Final got underway.


A total of 83 shooters, selected by their performances throughout this year's World Cup stages, met at the 1972 Olympic Shooting Range in Hochbruck to compete for the 2013 World Cup titles in the 10 Olympic events of rifle and pistol shooting.

The first Cup of the competition was awarded to China's Zhang Jingjing in this afternoon's 25 metre Pistol women's event.

The 24-year-old beat Serbia's world number four, Zorana Arunovic, by eight points to two in the gold medal match to take home her first World Cup Final title.

"I had won a World Cup Stage medal on these lines, last May," she said.

"I know this venue, and I like it, that helped me to calm down and concentrate on my technique.

"I started shooting seven years ago.

I used to be a timid person, but when I became a competitive athlete I changed a lot, and I am much more self-confident nowadays.

"This is a good start, but I want to win more."

Her teammate Yuan Jing won the bronze medal in the same event, beating Germany's 2008 Beijing Olympic bronze medallist, Munkhbayar Dorjsuren, by eight points to four in the bronze medal match.

Americas Emil Milev took gold in the mens 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event on day one of the ISSF World Cup FinalsAmerica's Emil Milev took gold in the men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event on day one of the ISSF World Cup Finals



Emil Milev, the Atlanta silver medallist, took the second gold medal of the day winning the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men match.

The American won his first World Cup Final title by scoring 33 hits in the competition, five hits more than second place finisher Czech Republic's Martin Strnad.

After a relatively slow start, Milev began moving up the scoreboard in the second competition stage, finally taking the gold after three five hit series out of the last four.

"It has been a tough match." Milev said right after the last shot.

"My founding memory in shooting is Atlanta1996, the Olympic Games.

"But today's final comes right in second.

"I know Munich's shooting range very well: this is a difficult venue, and I was facing strong athletes, today.

"That's why it feels so great to wear this medal."

The ISSF Pistol and Rifle World Cup Final will continue tomorrow with the 10m Air Rifle Women and 10m Air Rifle Men events with the competition running through until Monday (November 11).

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