Sergy Rikhter

Sergey Rikhter

Sergey Rikhter in 2012
Personal information
Born April 23, 1989
Ukraine
Residence Rehovot, Israel
Weight 78 kg (172 lb; 12 st 4 lb)
Sport
Country Israel
Sport Sport shooting
Event(s) 10 metre air rifle
Coached by Guy Starik

Sergey Rikhter (Hebrew: סרגיי ריכטר‎; Russian: Серге́й Рихтер; born April 23, 1989) is an Israeli Olympic sport shooter.[1]

He shares the junior world record in the 10 metre air rifle, and was the 2009 ISSF World Cup champion. He competed on behalf of Israel at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Early life

Rikhter is Jewish, was born in Ukraine, and is now Israeli and lives in Rehovot, Israel.[2][3] He began shooting in 2002, at 13 years of age, as part of a Gadna (Israel Defense Forces youth corps) program.[2][4] He then trained with Hapoel Rehovot.[4]

Shooting career

A typical 10 m match air rifle

Rikhter trains at the Herzliya firing range, is now a member of Maccabi Ra'anana.[2][4] He is right-handed, and his "master eye" is his right eye.[5] He is coached by Israeli three-time Olympian Guy Starik.[2][4]

Rikhter won a gold medal at 20 years of age at the 10 metre air rifle men's final of the 2009 ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany.[6][7][8] His qualification score of 599 points was one point short of the world record, and tied the junior world record.[6][9] He won with 701.7 points.[6] Rikhter said after the match: “This is exciting, I did not expect to finish on the highest step of the podium. This is my fourth time in an international competition!”[6]

That year, the German shooting team Kolber invited Rikhter for trials, and signed him.[4] Rikhter became the team's leading shooter, and a local star. He recalled competing for Kolber, with competitions carried on live television and fans seeking his autograph:

It was like a homecoming in films – fans, club staff, and all. I ... thought the German league would be a minor event, but it was utterly insane. They transformed a basketball arena into a firing range, filled the stands with trumpets, drums, and what not. Everyone was drinking beers and celebrating. I suddenly felt the fans get behind me, and expect me to lead the club to success. I was really moved.[4]

In February 2010, he won the gold medal in the IWK Air Gun competition men's 10 metre air rifle match in Munich.[10] In June 2010, he came in fourth in the men's 10 metre air rifle final at the 2010 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Belgrade, Serbia, missing the bronze medal by one-tenth of a point.[11] In June 2011, he was ranked fifth in the world by the ISSF.[4]

He came in seventh in the September 2011 ISSF World Cup final in the men's 10 metre air rifle.[12] He did so after being penalized with a deduction of two points, for being late in reporting for the final.[13] Had the two points not been deducted, he would have finished with a silver medal.[13]

He won a silver medal at the 2011 Changwon, South Korea, World Cup, with 597 points, becoming the first Israeli athlete to qualify for the London Olympics.[2][4]

Discussing the dismissive attitudes of some fellow Israelis, Rikhter said: "Almost every person who served in the army 'had the best shooting results in basic training', or 'was the IDF champion'. They're all 'expert marksmen'. No one will say, 'hey, wow, that's really something.' Every Israeli is basically the best shooter you can find."[4]

In April 2012, he won the silver medal in the 2012 Shooting World Cup in London, in men's 10 metre air rifle. His 701.1 points were a personal record.[14]

Rikhter will compete on behalf of Israel at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London in men's 10 metre air rifle, having qualified by earning a quota place.[15][16] After the Olympics, he plans to complete his military service, and to study graphic design.[4]

Current world record in 10 m air rifle

Current world records held in 10 m Air Rifle
Junior Men Individual 599  Cheon Min-ho (KOR)
 Zhu Qinan (CHN)
 Zhu Qinan (CHN)
 Sergy Rikhter (ISR)		 April 24, 2004
August 16, 2004
October 30, 2004
May 16, 2009		 Athens (GRE)
Athens (GRE)
Bangkok (THA)
Munich (GER)

See also

References

  1. ↑ "European Championship 10m; Brescia, Italy, 1.3.2011 – 7.3.2011" (PDF). echbrescia2011.it. March 2, 2011. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Portrait of the shooter; Rikhter, Sergy – ISR". International Shooting Sport Federation. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  3. ↑ ".". Australian Jewish News. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 Talshir, Uri (October 23, 2011). "Aiming high". Haaretz. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
  5. ↑ "ISSF". International Shooting Sport Federation. March 26, 2011. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Marco Dalla Dea (May 16, 2009). "Air Rifle Men – Rikhter brought Israel’s flag on the podium". Shooting.by. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Chinese Shooters Suffer Mini-Waterloo in Munich World Cup". English.cri.cn. May 17, 2009. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
  8. ↑ "10m Air Rifle Men". Issf-sports.org. May 16, 2009. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
  9. ↑ "ISSF World Cup Munich: medal standings and records.". Archerfish.org. May 20, 2009. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  10. ↑ "IWK in Munich – The Rifle and Pistol season starts from here". Archerfish.org. February 6, 2010. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
  11. ↑ MDD (June 28, 2010). "10m Air Rifle Men – Campriani claimed Gold". ISSF. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
  12. ↑ "ISSF World Cup Final; 10m Air Rifle Men; Wroclaw; Sep 22, 2011" (PDF). Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Zhu set a new 10m Air Rifle Men final world record". Issf-sports.org. September 22, 2011. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
  14. ↑ http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4218976,00.html
  15. ↑ Lancman, Rory (July 17, 2011). "Israeli swimmers earn a spot at 2012 Summer Olympics". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  16. ↑ "ISSF World Cup Changwon: Day 1". USA Shooting. April 9, 2011. Retrieved November 15, 2011.

External links

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