Kimberly Rhode wins 27th World Cup gold in women's skeet at ISSF Hangzhou
Synopsis
At 47, Kimberly Rhode is still rewriting history. Her 27th ISSF World Cup gold in Hangzhou — won with a 34-32 defeat of her own teammate — takes her to 41 World Cup medals, a tally that no shooter in the event's history has matched. Meanwhile, Qatar's Rashid Al-Athba equaled the men's skeet world record on the same day.
Key Takeaways
Kimberly Rhode won her 27th ISSF World Cup gold in women's skeet at Hangzhou on 23 July , defeating teammate Samantha Simonton 34-32 .
The victory takes Rhode's total World Cup medal count to 41 ; she is a six-time Olympic medalist and three-time Olympic champion.
China's Che Yufei claimed bronze with 28 hits , earning her second World Cup medal.
Britain's Seonaid McIntosh won the women's 50m rifle three positions title with 362.6 points , edging China's Han Jiayu by just 0.3 points .
Qatar's Rashid Saleh Al-Athba equaled the men's skeet world record with 35 hits to win gold.
The Hangzhou World Cup runs through 28 July , with air pistol and rapid fire pistol finals on Friday.
Kimberly Rhode, a three-time Olympic champion, claimed her 27th ISSF World Cup gold medal on Thursday, 23 July, defeating compatriot Samantha Simonton 34-32 in the women's skeet final at the ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou, China. The result gave the United States a one-two finish and pushed Rhode's overall World Cup medal tally to 41.
Rhode Leads Wire to Wire
The 47-year-old American led throughout the final, never relinquishing her advantage against Simonton. Rhode, a six-time Olympic medalist, was characteristically understated about the achievement. 'I guess [this medal is] the same as all the others. It's not something we keep track of,' she said. 'But it's amazing to be out there with so many talented athletes, and I think each year we see that bar rising and each of us pushing one another, so it's been an incredible season and I'm just super excited to be here.'
China's Che Yufei Takes Bronze
China's Che Yufei, 27, claimed the bronze medal with 28 hits, earning her second World Cup medal. A two-time world junior champion, Che acknowledged the gap to the top but expressed satisfaction with her display. 'I'm definitely very happy. My opponents were very strong, and I think I performed quite well today. I'm fairly satisfied with my performance, but I still need to close the gap with them and strive to surpass them,' she said.
Notably, China's Jiang Yiting — who topped qualification with 123 hits and won bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games — finished fifth after losing a tiebreak, while compatriot Jiang Chaoyu placed seventh. Later in the day, Lyu Jianlin, Jiang Yiting's mixed team partner at Paris 2024 with whom she won Olympic bronze, claimed the men's skeet bronze with 29 hits.
McIntosh Edges Han in Rifle Thriller
In the women's 50-metre rifle three positions final, Britain's Seonaid McIntosh edged China's Han Jiayu by a razor-thin 0.3 points. Han led after both the kneeling and prone stages, but McIntosh produced a decisive standing-stage performance to finish on 362.6 points against Han's 362.3. Norway's Jeanette Hegg Duestad took bronze with 347.6 points, while China's Zhang Liyuan finished fourth.
Al-Athba Equals World Record in Men's Skeet
Qatar's Rashid Saleh Al-Athba delivered a near-flawless men's skeet final, hitting his first 34 targets before missing only his penultimate shot to finish with 35 hits — equaling the world record. He defeated Spain's Jose Maria Mielgo Moneo by one target, with Peru's Nicolas Pacheco Espinosa finishing fourth.
What's Next at Hangzhou
The Hangzhou World Cup continues through 28 July, with the women's 10-metre air pistol and men's 25-metre rapid fire pistol medals scheduled for Friday. Rhode's record-extending gold further cements her status as the most decorated athlete in ISSF World Cup history.
Point of View
The silver medalist, is herself a world-class performer. The real competitive story at Hangzhou is the narrowing gap: China's Che Yufei and Jiang Yiting are closing in, and the Paris 2024 bronze medalist finishing fifth in a World Cup final suggests the field is genuinely compressing. If Rhode's margin shrinks further at the next major, the succession question will no longer be politely ignored.
NationPress
24 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many World Cup medals does Kimberly Rhode have?
Kimberly Rhode has won 41 ISSF World Cup medals in total, including 27 gold medals . Her latest gold came at the Hangzhou World Cup on 23 July in the women's skeet event.
Who won the women's skeet gold at the ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou?
Kimberly Rhode of the United States won the women's skeet gold at the ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou on 23 July, defeating teammate Samantha Simonton 34-32 in the final.
Did anyone equal a world record at the Hangzhou World Cup?
Yes. Qatar's Rashid Saleh Al-Athba equaled the men's skeet world record with 35 hits in the final, defeating Spain's Jose Maria Mielgo Moneo by one target.
Who won the women's 50m rifle three positions at Hangzhou?
Britain's Seonaid McIntosh won gold with 362.6 points , edging China's Han Jiayu by just 0.3 points . Norway's Jeanette Hegg Duestad took bronze with 347.6 points.
When does the Hangzhou ISSF World Cup end?
The Hangzhou ISSF World Cup runs through 28 July . The women's 10-metre air pistol and men's 25-metre rapid fire pistol finals are scheduled for Friday, 25 July.
