Ian Rupert Emerges In Double Trap to Keep U.S. Team Firing in Acapulco World Cup

Nineteeen-year-old Ian Rupert scores his first World Cup medal in just his second World Cup competition.

Success was again found on the World Cup scene for the USA Shooting Team Wednesday in the season’s first International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Acapulco. But it came from an unexpected contributor, as the U.S. squad, for the second consecutive event, put an individual on the medal stand for their first career World Cup medal.

Monday was Brian Burrows‘ (Fallbrook, Calif.) moment with a silver medal in Men’s Trap.  Today belonged to 19-year-old Ian Rupert (Muncy, Pa.) as he led Team USA to the podium once again with the match of his blossoming young career. The youngest finalist of six in the competition, Rupert outdueled India’s 25-year-old Asab Mohd, 25-24 hits in the bronze-medal match.

Rupert had qualified with a new World Record of 136 hits, tied to Pinero, and then finished the Semi-Final in fourth place with 24 hits out of 30 targets.

“It has been a nice match! This is my first time on an ISSF podium, and it feels simply great!” Rupert exclaimed.

Through three events, the U.S. squad has earned four spots in the top-six including two medals.  Miranda Wilder (Diana, Texas) and Rachael Heiden (Clinton, Mich.) finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in Women’s Trap.

The ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Acapulco will continue Friday with Men’s and Women’s Skeet events. The two finals, for the Skeet Men and the Skeet Women event, are scheduled to take place on the Friday (women) and Saturday (men).