A world skeet shooting champion has died after shooting himself in the stomach in a freak accident.
Cristian Ghilli is the world junior clay pigeon shooting champion, having won that title last October.
The young Italian, 19, had also finished third in the World Cup event in Peru and won gold at the European Championships last May.
But that promising career and life has tragically been cut short after he suffered an accidental gunshot wound on Thursday.
Ghilli was out shooting with friends in the woods at Montecatini Val di Cecina in Tuscany when he stopped to pick up some of his spent cartridges.
But when he bent over he accidentally shot himself in the stomach.
When his friends saw what had happened, they called for an an ambulance and Ghilli was rushed to a hospital in nearby Cecina.
Doctors immediately operated as soon as he arrived to try to stop his internal bleeding, but he died a short while later.
Local media reported the president of the Italian Shooting Federation, Luciano Rossi, has since released a statement.
Rossi said: "Last October the young skeet player was crowned World Champion in teams and in the Mixed Team, accompanying the gold with a third individual place in the World Cup in Lima, Peru.
"In May 2021 he had won gold in the individual, team and Mixed Team competition in the European Championship in Osjiek in Croatia.
"With respect, silence, condolences in the face of a tragedy that leaves everyone upset.
"May the earth be light to you, Cristian."
