All three Irish competitors set a strong pace on day one of the competition, each achieving a very high score of 49 targets out of 50. Overnight the Irish held joint 11th position and well placed for what would be a very high scoring competition in excellent conditions.
The second day of competition saw the scores reach towards World Record proportions with Spain’s Jesus Serrano finishing with 124 targets out of 125, just one target shy of the joint World Record.
Burnett led the Irish on the second day to finish strongly with a score of 121, a season best and equalling his personal best. Burnett was unfortunate to miss his last target on his penultimate round and a place in a three-way shoot off for the last two places in the final.
Following the competition Burnett reflected on his performance, “I’m disappointed to have missed the final by such a small margin, but on any other day of the week I would be delighted with this performance. This was the hardest fought competition of the year by far. “
Irish newcomer and rising star Wayne Byrne scored a personal best at the competition with a score of 119 and staked his place for the World Championships later this year in Belgrade. The competition also marked the successful return to competition by Sydney Olympian David Malone.
Burnett now takes his quest for Olympic Qualification to the European Championships in Belgrade at the start of August.
Derek Burnett Joint 8th 121 ex 125
Wayne Byrne Joint 25th 119 ex 125
David Malone Joint 49th 117 ex 125
