WMSC 2008 – a triumph for Swedish military shooting

Brigadier General Bengt Axelsson, the most senior representative for the national Swedish team, was positively beaming by the end of the World Military Shooting Championships in Boden. One individual gold and one team silver as well as many excellent individual achievements and personal best performances – that sums up the Swedish participation: Sweden’s best military shooting championships in modern times.

World Military Shooting Championships over

The World Military Shooting Championships were concluded with the prize-giving ceremony in Boden Arena on Saturday afternoon.
”We are extremely proud to have been called upon to arrange these championships,” said the Armed Forces´ Director of Operations, General Anders Lindström, in his closing address.

Chinese 1-2-3 in rapid fire pistol

The men’s individual rapid fire pistol event on the final day saw a Chinese grand slam. The medals were all won by the Chinese marksmen, all on high scores. In the women’s pistol event, it was again Zhanna Shapialevich from Belarus who won gold.

Last series sealed it

It was down to the very last shot in the individual event in 300-metre military standard rifle. Rajmond Debevec of Slovenia won by the smallest possible margin. Vebjørn Berg from Norway finished on the same final score as the winner, 576, but was declared second because Rajmond had a better final series.

World Championship gold to Sweden at last

On Saturday morning Linda Olofsson won a gold medal in the women’s 50-metre rifle event. Gyda E Olssen, Norway, ended on the same score, 580, but because Linda’s last series was better than Gyda’s, Linda was declared the winner.
”I was really surprised by this win, it hasn’t sunk in yet,” said a very pleased Linda Olofsson.