London: Giovanni Cernogoraz of Croatia was a surprise and dramatic winner of the men`s trap at the final shooting event of London 2012.
The 29-year-old qualified for the final with the lowest score but missed only once while his rivals faltered.
He ended up in a shoot-off for gold with world champion Massimo Fabbrizi, and it was the Italian who missed first to give Cernogoraz the title.
Two-time Olympic champion, Australia`s Michael Diamond, led the way in qualifying with a perfect score of 125 but missed five targets in the final - where shooters get one shot instead of two - to blow his chances of gold number three.
Instead, just as he had in Beijing, he lost a shoot-off for bronze, this time to Fehaid Aldeehani of Kuwait.
It means Australia did not pick up a single medal from the shooting competition at the London Games.
Cernogoraz`s success provided his country`s second gold medal of the Games after Sandra Perkovic won the discus, but he admitted afterwards he did not even expect a place on the podium following his qualifying performance.
He said: "I was very nervous but I shot at my best and everything ended in the best way.
"To tell the truth I didn`t even think I would get a bronze. My objective was to make the final so I was very calm and everything went well.
"When I am competing I try not to follow the results of the others. I try to concentrate on the final.
"This is the second gold for Croatia and a first in this sport, and everyone back home is very happy with it."
BDST: 1628 HRS, August 7, 2012
Edited by
Chanchal Ghosh, Newsroom Editor
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