The Ukraine flag contained goodwill messages from soldiers at the front ©ITG

Ihor Kizyma won Ukraine's first individual gold medal of these International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Championships here in the men’s 10 metre running target before helping to unfurl a national flag with messages of support from soldiers on the front line.

Kizyma took gold after establishing an early advantage to beat Germany’s Kriss Grossheim by six points to three.

Jeong You-Jin of South Korea took bronze beating Jonas Bedrich of the Czech Republic 6-2.

Draped in the national flag, Ihor Kizyma of Ukraine displays his gold medal at the ISSF World Championships in Baku ©ITG
Draped in the national flag, Ihor Kizyma of Ukraine displays his gold medal at the ISSF World Championships in Baku ©ITG

The men’s team classification, based on the individual scores in qualification, gave gold to Kizyma, Denys Babliuk and Danilo Danilenko ahead of Sweden and Finland.

The team unveiled a flag on which messages from the front had been collected by Danilenko’s father.

"This was given by the father of Danilo Danilenko, my team mate, his dad is on the front since the first day of war, this flag had many signatures, from the commanders of squads, with the numbers of the regiments," Kizyma, who insisted on speaking English, explained.

The Ukrainian medallists had carried their national flag on to the podium ©ITG
The Ukrainian medallists had carried their national flag on to the podium ©ITG

"When Danilo’s dad sees the photo and hears about the competition it will be very great for him and for his emotions,” Kizyma added.

He had previously won two ISSF World Championship gold medals last year.

"This gold medal is really important for me, you know the situation, we need to do all what we can and a little bit better," Kizyma continued.

"I love to see my flag and my national anthem on victory ceremonies. I don’t know why but it is the greatest emotional thing that I feel in a championship."

There was a further bronze for Ukraine in the women’s individual competition.

Zukhra Irnazarova beat Alexandra Saduakassova 6-3 in an all Kazakhstan gold medal match, while Ukraine’s Galina Avramenko defeated her compatriot Viktoria Rybovalova 7-5 in the contest for bronze.