Silvana Stanco took victory in the women's trap at the European Championships in Shotgun on Saturday in Larnaca, Cyprus.

Stanco led the field in qualification and the ranking matches, but had to come through a tense duel with British teenager Lucy Hall to take gold, with both nations securing the two quota berths in women's trap shooting at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Stanco, an absolute star of the Cypriot event since the qualifying rounds, had also won the first Olympic card for the Italian shooting team at the Tokyo 2020 Games, finishing in 3rd place in the trap competition of the World Championships held in Changwon, South Korea. The shooter, a true tricolour certainty, had also obtained a national place for the Rio 2016 Games. 

'I am very happy with how the race went. I shot well in the qualifiers, but what gives me the most pleasure is to have shot well in the semifinals and the final. I liked it,' Stanco explained after the race. 'We worked hard to prepare for this event, but that doesn't always guarantee a result. This time everything went well, both for my teammates and me. In addition to the European Champion Title, I return home with a very important Olympic Card, the first four-year term for my Federation and the third of my shooting career. I am very happy and satisfied, and I want to share these feelings with my family, the Federation and the Guardia di Finanza, who, together with my sponsors, support me every step of the way.

'A fantastic race by my women. They were great,' commented a delighted Albano Pera, National Trap Technical Director. 'They dominated the whole race. All three in the semifinals, two in the finals, two medals and an Olympic card. What more could you ask for? I am super satisfied because they responded great. They were great.

(photo FITAV)