By Nick Butler

Corey Cogdell won the trap event to open the first shooting World Cup of the season ©ISSFUnited States' Corey Cogdell won the opening International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup title of the season today in Acapulco, triumphing in the trap event to also secure an Olympic Quota spot for Rio 2016.


The 28-year-old Beijing 2008 Olympic bronze medallist returned from a year away from competition following her marriage to hit a superb 13 targets in the gold medal match to finish four clear of second placed Australia Laetisha Scanlan. 

New Zealand's Natalie Rooney took bronze to claim a first ever World Cup medal, while Cogdell followed on from a World Cup silver in the Mexican town in 2010.

"I am extremely excited about this gold medal," said the winner afterwards.

"Most importantly, I won an Olympic Quota spot for our country, which is what we came here to do.

"We came together as a team to accomplish that, and I am proud that we made it.

"The more I continue to shoot, the more I learn, and progress, I feel I am coming into the best years of my career so I am very excited for the rest of the World Cup season." 

Corey Cogdell poses with her fellow medal winners after her trap victory in Acapulco ©ISSFCorey Cogdell poses with her fellow medal winners after her trap victory in Acapulco
©ISSF



The season-opening event was officially opened yesterday by ISSF President Olegario Vazquez Raña and by Mexican Shooting Federation President Jorge Alfonso Pena Soberanis.

Over 300 athletes spanning 54 nations are due to compete in the five Olympic shotgun events, with a total of 10 Rio 2016 quota places up for grabs.

Tomorrow will see the men's trap competition, while action in the double trap will take place on Thursday (March 5) before proceedings conclude with the female and male skeet competitions on March 8 and 9.

The finals of each event will be broadcasted on the ISSF Livestream channel, available here. 

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