WSPS World Cup Novi Sad 2026:
Javanmardi misses podium on long-awaited return
Iranian para shooting great Sareh Javanmardi had to settle for a fourth-place finish in the mixed 50m pistol SH1 event at the first WSPS World Cup of the season in Novi Sad, Serbia, on Monday.
Nicknamed the “Pistol Queen,” the four-time Paralympic champion, who announced in June that she would come out of retirement to pursue a second Asian Para Games gold medal in October, delivered a score of 535 to top the elimination round. She then finished third in the combined elimination and qualification standings to advance to the final, but ultimately missed out on a podium finish.
The 41-year-old still did enough to secure qualification for September’s World Championships in Changwon, South Korea – where she will make her first appearance in seven years – as well as the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games, which begin on October 18.
Javanmardi appeared to have brought the curtain down on her illustrious career after winning the women’s 10m air pistol title at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, citing “personal reasons as well as certain circumstances within the Iranian sports structure” for her decision. The decorated shooter, however, had a change of heart and resumed training with the national team in recent months.
Ali Galavi was the other Iranian in action in the mixed 50m pistol event in Novi Sad but failed to progress to the final after posting 523 points to finish 11th in qualification. Nevertheless, the result was enough for him to secure a place at the upcoming Asian Para Games.