WSPS World Cup Novi Sad 2026:
Javanmardi, Galavi shatter world record to win gold
Iranian shooters Sareh Javanmardi and Ali Galavi produced a record-breaking performance to win the mixed 10m air pistol SH1 (P6) gold medal at the first WSPS World Cup event of the season in Novi Sad, Serbia, on Tuesday.
Having finished empty-handed in their respective individual events the previous day, Javanmardi and Galavi teamed up to top the qualification standings with a score of 565 and advance to the final.
The Iranian pair then set a new world record with a score of 465 to defeat their Indian opponents and claim the title, while Kazakhstan took the bronze medal.
The gold marked a statement return for four-time Paralympic champion Javanmardi, who announced in June that she would come out of retirement to pursue a second Asian Para Games gold medal in October.
Nicknamed the “Pistol Queen,” Javanmardi, who 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, had to settle for fourth place in the 50m pistol SH1 event on Monday.
The 41-year-old shooter 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.