Patrick Huston admitted a fast-paced approach had paid dividends after the British archer claimed his first ever World Cup gold in Marrakech on Sunday.
The former junior world champion travelled to Morocco looking to get his 2015-2016 Indoor Archery World Cup campaign off to a strong start.
And the 19-year-old more than delivered as he beat 2014 champion Matteo Fissore of Italy 6-4 in the recurve final.
Seeded second in the tournament, Huston initially looked uncertain in the first two sets but nine straight 10s and three perfect sets then turned the match in his favour.
And Huston revealed afterwards that he had devised a plan pre-competition in order to beat his opponent.
“I’d rehearsed shooting fast before the match. As soon as his arrow was gone and the buzzer changed, I lifted my bow and took my shot,” he said. “I think that helped.
“Medalling at an Indoor World Cup was on my list for the year. I’ve crossed that out at the first tournament.”
Elsewhere on Sunday there was also medal success for judoka Gemma Gibbons as the Olympic silver medallist came away with bronze from the Qingdao Grand Prix in China.
Gibbons got off to a good start as she beat Spain’s Marta Tort Merino in her opening -78kg contest before coming up against former world champion Kyong Sol, whom the 28-year-old had beaten at the World Championships in Astana earlier this year.
The tables were turned this time as the British judoka lost out and then headed into the repechage but she recovered her composure to beat Russians Anastasiya Dmitrieva and Alena Kachorovskaya en route to bronze, and with it 120 ranking points towards Rio qualification.
Andy Burns also kept up his push for Rio as he finished in seventh in the -90kg category while Frazer Chamberlain (-90kg) reached the second round, and Sarah Adlington (+78jg) was defeated in the first round.
Sportsbeat 2015