2012 EUropEaN rEcordS dEcEmbEr 31St 2011
2012 EUropEaN rEcordS dEcEmbEr 31St 2011
2012 EUropEaN rEcordS dEcEmbEr 31St 2011
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Photos: Marco Dall Dea (2), Phil Blom (1)<br />
to try something new”, he said. In spite of<br />
being a rookie of the 3-position discipline,<br />
he won a couple of World Cup medals in the<br />
new event, climbing up the World Ranking.<br />
Just in time to be awarded with the “<strong>2011</strong><br />
Shooter of the Year” title with 66 votes, and<br />
to become one of the favorites for the next<br />
<strong>2012</strong> Olympic Games.<br />
Zhu, you have been winning so consistently.<br />
you must be accustomed to success. how do<br />
you feel about becoming the shooter of the<br />
year <strong>2011</strong>?<br />
This is what I hoped for. I have been looking<br />
forward to this honor since I stepped on<br />
the international shooting stage, I was really<br />
looking forward to it.<br />
did you expect this title to be awarded to you?<br />
I didn’t expect it, but I was hoping I would<br />
get this recognition.<br />
now that you finished in the spotlight as<br />
“shooter of the year”, is there any extra<br />
pressure?<br />
No. Instead, I will be better inspired to encourage<br />
the development of our shooting<br />
i regret not being able<br />
to enjoy parties with<br />
friends due the demands<br />
of shooting…<br />
sport. This will motivate me to do more and<br />
to do it better.<br />
Which was the most difficult competition of<br />
the year <strong>2011</strong>?<br />
I believe that the Fort Benning ISSF World<br />
Cup was the most difficult competition of<br />
the season. There, I achieved my best result<br />
in 50m events. It was rather difficult, since<br />
I had never shot so well. Next to that, one<br />
must remember that the time span of the<br />
three-position competition was pretty long<br />
and consequently, the “difficult moments”<br />
were also longer accordingly.<br />
Which was your best competition in <strong>2011</strong>,<br />
in your opinion?<br />
The ISSF World Cup Final in Poland was my<br />
best match of the year! I shot the 600-point<br />
record. It was wonderful. My performance<br />
was really satisfying.<br />
is that your best memory of this pre-Olympic<br />
season?<br />
It is. To achieve a World Record is great.<br />
Breakthroughs were made in both individual<br />
records and team records. It has certainly<br />
been a season of great memories...<br />
if you could, would you change something<br />
of the year <strong>2011</strong>?<br />
Yes, for sure. No one is perfect. There is still<br />
a lot to be improved. I am seeking better results<br />
in 50m prone.<br />
you were awarded shooter of the year in<br />
<strong>2011</strong>, but what do you think about your<br />
shooting career? Which has been your “best<br />
personal season”?<br />
Up to now, I think 2004 has been my best<br />
season since it was the beginning of my<br />
career on the international shooting stage. I<br />
won the Olympic Games, and several other<br />
awards, it was a great year of my life.<br />
When did you start shooting?<br />
When I was 16. My physical education teacher<br />
in middle school introduced me to the sport.<br />
I adore shooting. I have loved shooting since<br />
my childhood.<br />
how are you training now?<br />
I train in Beijing, about twenty hours per<br />
week. Training is fine… I just don’t like equipment<br />
control, that’s the most boring part!<br />
is it difficult to maintain a private life with<br />
all the training?<br />
Yes it is. I regret not being able to enjoy parties<br />
with friends due the demands of shooting…<br />
do you practice any other sport, aside from<br />
shooting?<br />
Seldom. I don’t have much interest in other<br />
sports. But I like billiards, video games and<br />
driving fast.<br />
does your family support you? What does<br />
your family think about the fact that you are<br />
always traveling around the world?<br />
Yes they do. Although we have less time for<br />
family reunions, they understand me well.<br />
does an Olympic gold medal change the<br />
ShOOTER OF ThE YEAR INTERVIEW<br />
way that people look at you?<br />
Yes, it does. After my Olympic victories, I<br />
started to receive much more attention and<br />
gained followers. People began to notice how<br />
great we’re doing, and how many intense efforts<br />
are required to remain competitive.<br />
What are your feelings towards london <strong>2012</strong>?<br />
My wish is to win a Gold medal there. My<br />
aim for the following weeks is to improve my<br />
personal results and to perform well during<br />
the Olympic Games.<br />
you won the 2004 Olympic gold in the 10m<br />
air rifle men event. What is your favorite<br />
event now, eight years later?<br />
The 50m Rifle Three Positions Men event is<br />
my favorite event now. I am going for the<br />
Gold in London.<br />
can you tell us something we don’t know<br />
about you?<br />
I think that you know me even better than<br />
I know myself! As a matter of fact, I am an<br />
ordinary person, like many other shooters. I<br />
love shooting very much and I try very hard<br />
to win. And I wish I will succeed during the<br />
next Olympic Games.<br />
marco dalla dea<br />
ISSF NEWS 9
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