Taiwanese shooters win World Cup gold with record hits

Taipei, May 11 (CNA) Taiwanese Yang Kun-pi (楊昆弼) and Liu Wan-yu (劉宛渝) won gold in the trap mixed team event at the World Cup Shotgun in Kazakhstan on Sunday, setting a new world record with hits on 36 targets.

The Taiwanese duo dominated the final, hitting their first 10 shots and scoring a world record 36 combined hits to defeat the rival teams from Italy, India, and China.

Speaking to CNA after the tournament, Yang said they were "tested by the weather" throughout the day as it rained on and off.

"Although it did not make a huge difference, the sound of the rain and the raindrops still affected our concentration to some extent," he said.

Yang said he has been in good form since last year, and his partnership with Liu has been working well.

Sunday's win earned them not only a gold medal but also prize money, which Yang said was a perk.

"Unlike some other sports, shooting does not guarantee prize money just for participating," he said.

While Yang and Liu failed to reach the podium in their respective individual events, they advanced in the mixed team competition after placing third in the qualifying round with 143 points.

Yang said he was satisfied with his overall performance in the individual event, shooting a perfect 75 out of 75 in the first three rounds on the opening day of the qualifying round.

However, he was unable to maintain that momentum on the second day, missing out on a spot in the final, he said.

"Still, it's a learning experience," Yang said. "We'll keep working hard and hope to achieve even better results."

The World Cup Shotgun 2026, organized by the International Shooting Sport Federation, is being held May 2-11 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.