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"Sergei Martynov finally became Olympic champion with a world record 705.5 score in the men's 50m rifle prone to claim gold in his sixth Games.

The reigning world champion's previous Olympic bests were bronze medals in Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004.

Martynov, 44, set a world record equalling 600 points in qualifying."

Finally!!!

He deserved it fully, it's unexplainable it didn't happen before, but better late than never.

Seems to me his FOR/FWR is there to stand unchallenged until the rules change and everybody starts again.

He will be probably the Melentiev of prone rifle!!

His final was unbelievable.

An amazing match by Martynov ! Looks though as though the finals format may change for Rio.

Rob.

RobStubbs wrote:An amazing match by Martynov ! Looks though as though the finals format may change for Rio.

Rob.

What we all know is that after London the eight finalist will start from zero, and the best final wins, notwithstanding the previous qualification score.

You are referring to THAT change, or there is another modification I don't konw about in the horizon? Please share.

That would be an incredibly disappointing change, frankly. Might as well make it a falling plates knockout.

Check out Martynov's equipment: 1813 rifle, wood stock, no bloop tube and a web sling - amazing. Certainly the best international smallbore prone shooter of all time. Eight 600's over 15 years in world level matches, only one other shooter has done it more than once (Waibel twice).

Martynov is using a 1913 stock.

And a 1913 barrel.

I was at the Olympic range on Friday, and was able to see Martynov. His groups were spectacular. He was shooting steadily, but stopped after shot 51. He took almsot 15 minutes to fire his last 9 shots, so clearly even he feels a little bit of pressure!

The crow gave him a well deserved round of applause.

Everyone apart from Sergei (and Lionel Cox) seems to have found the conditions puzzling. From where I was, I could see Marco De Niccolo, Valerian Sauveplane, Eric U, Torben Grimmel, Christian Planer to name a few, all very successful shooters. You could see the expressions on their faces that they were finding the conditions tricky.

Congratulations to all though.

All the things PaulB stated I will add one more, his rifle could possibly not be bedded just tightens the screws.

renzo wrote:

RobStubbs wrote:An amazing match by Martynov ! Looks though as though the finals format may change for Rio.

Rob.

What we all know is that after London the eight finalist will start from zero, and the best final wins, notwithstanding the previous qualification score.

You are referring to THAT change, or there is another modification I don't konw about in the horizon? Please share.

Unless I've missread it, that is a POSSIBLE change being considered, the actual changes will be announced after these Olympics.

Rob.

At my last updating course as a judge, I was told by the lecturers (both ISSF "A" judges) that EVERYBODY knows it will be that way, only that they're not openly talking about it.

That is, the full course (40, 60 or 120 shots) will be only a qualification round, the best eight will fire the final as per the current format, only that they will all start at "0", best final wins, period.

Of course, these days naothing is "100 % sure", but sounds logic on the light of the broadcasting companies presuure on the IOC for more spectacular and visually appealing sports.

No, not really. By no means will that result in a more visually appealing sport. Less so, really. The real drama in finals is seeing who can catch who or who can handle the pressure of their lead. Turning it into a fresh start, best group wins scenario is pathetic, and totally diminishes the role of the qualification match. Even looking at the current Games, there is absolutely no way Campriani and Martynov should have been coming into the final with exactly the same chance at the gold medal. That would be pathetic. What was great was seeing Karmakar climb up, and come closer to the medals. If you gain nothing from the qualification round in terms of shooting 600 versus 595, that's a major failing for the sport, in my opinion.

The problem Dave you're looking at it through the eyes of someone who understands the sport and understands what it takes to get that qualification score. The spectators or potential spectators aren't and unfortunately in this day and age don't care to earn either. What they are looking to do is make it more appealing to the layman.

For a clear example of how they have screwed up the sport with their meddling, just look at Rapid Fire. They have turned "Rapid Fire" into the slowest, most boring final of all shooting sports. Six shooters, all shooting one string at a time, with 3-4 minutes per shooter. It takes forever, despite the fact that they have three sets of targets and could at least have three shooters fire at a time. Slow fire precision events have all 8 shoot at the same time, with each shot taking just one minute, 15 seconds at the most.

It sounds like they are on track to screw up the other events like they have Rapid Fire. What a pity.

The day sport is more about the spectators, beer and burger in hand, roaring at the tv about how they could do it better than it is about the athletes, I'll be packing it in. What a joke. And to the comments on the rapid fire finals, you're absolutely right. They ruined it, and yet I don't see an admission and a return to the old ways on the cards.

Richard H wrote:The problem Dave you're looking at it through the eyes of someone who understands the sport and understands what it takes to get that qualification score. The spectators or potential spectators aren't and unfortunately in this day and age don't care to earn either. What they are looking to do is make it more appealing to the layman.

Richard has it spot on!
They changed the blinder rules for TV to suit close ups, BUT the TV Olympic coverage of the finals was almost entirely long shots!
They changed the finals procedure to introduce the finalists for TV, BUT the TV Olympic coverage for all finals only joins after the introductions! The spineless ISSF will keep changing the rules led by the media until the finalists end up fighting each other with paintball guns!

Back to the thread, it was great seeing Martynov using the kit that a club shooter would probably reject in a position that a club coach would change shoot world records!
Robin

Yes the spineless ISSF should have just stood their ground and have the sport removed from the Olympics. That's the choice you guys prefer?

Like it or loathe it keeping it the exact same was not an option.

So rather than continuing to bitch about it let's hear your ideas to improve it, with the caveat that you can't have any new factions and it can't cost any more money than the originals. So let's hear all the good, ideas, with all the dislike for the present one you guys must have some way to make it better.

Finals will be changed for sure, but not just as 10 shots counted from 0. The main problem now is to find any formula of - let's call it - semifinal. So, it can be 10 shots counted in decimals and afterthat a shooter with a lowest score is out. 11th final serie and a next one is out, etc. I just give an example - it may be something different, but surely not only a present final from zero. That's they currently work on...

PS. Concerning RF it is planned to be changed as you have written: 3 shooters shoot at the same time... (emphasized word "planned" :-) )

I watched a lot of archery this time around I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't adopt something along those lines either.

I'm a fan of keeping sports separate from each other with different formats for them all. That's one reason to why I watch and enjoy so many sports. It's definitely possible to learn and appreciate the formats and skills required to achieve the performances we see on the court/lane/field etc every day in the Olympics. I have, and don't believe I'm the only one. Don't underestimate the audience.
Is this an actual ultimatum; change the format or get kicked out? or are we talking about media?
One reason that speaks for the current format (qualification + final) is that it separates this sport from the rest.
What I'm trying to say here is that if they have to change, I'll be fine with whatever comes (within reason), but I wish they wouldn't.