Slovakia's Olympic champion Zuzana Rehák-Štefečeková, second left, won the women's trap event at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Nicosia ©ISSF

Slovakia’s Zuzana Rehák-Štefečeková and Turkey’s Oğuzhan Tüzün have claimed the first gold medals of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Shotgun World Cup in Nicosia.

Rehák-Štefečeková, the Tokyo 2020 Olympictrap champion after winning the silver medals at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, won the women’s event at the Cyprus Olympic Shooting Range "Lakis Psimolophitis".

On the path to becoming the first winner of the World Cup, Rehák-Štefečeková had topped the rankings in the semi-finals with a score of 20 points.

The United States' Rachel Leighanne Tozier also qualified for the women’s trap final after scoring 18 points, while Italian duo Silvana Stanco and Jessica Rossi progressed thanks to totals of 20 and 18, respectively.

Spain's Fatima Galvez and Mar Molne Magrina, Germany’s Kathrin Murche and Australia’s Catherine Skinner also made the final.

Stanco was Rehák-Štefečeková's closest challenger in the final, hitting the target 15 consecutive times as Rehák-Štefečeková missed twice.

The 38-year-old Rehák-Štefečeková, however, capitalised on Stanco’s later mistakes later to win 31 points to Stanco’s 28.

Tozier scored 19 points to secure the bronze medal. 

Turkey's Oğuzhan Tüzün, holding gun, celebrates his victory in the men's trap event at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup after beating Croatia’s Olympic 2012 gold medallist Giovanni Cernogoraz ©ISSF
Turkey's Oğuzhan Tüzün, holding gun, celebrates his victory in the men's trap event at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup after beating Croatia’s Olympic 2012 gold medallist Giovanni Cernogoraz ©ISSF

After a successful qualification, two-time world champion Tuzun finished level with Kuwait’s Talal Alrashidi on 23 points to advance to the finals.

The other semi-final match saw a similar event with Croatia’s London 2012 gold medallist Giovanni Cernogoraz and Australia’s James Willet both scoring 22 points.

Polish pair Tomasz Pasierbski and Piotr Kowalczyk, Britain’s Matthew John Coward-Holley and Croatia’s Anton Glasnovic were eliminated in the semi-finals.

Tuzun and Cernogoraz were neck-and-neck during the final, with the 39-year-old Turk eventually emerging the winner with 31 points to his rival's 29.

Alrashidi, a world champion in the team trap, totalled 20 points to claim the bronze medal.

Tomorrow’s action is due to see the trap mixed team event final, while the men’s and women’s skeet are also scheduled to get underway.