San Marino shooter to remain full-time lawyer despite Tokyo silver

If Gian Marco Berti argues like a lawyer about why he cannot take up shooting full time even after winning an Olympic silver in Tokyo, it is because he is one.

The 38-year-old from San Marino teamed up with Alessandra Perilli to win the medal in the new trap mixed team event at the Asaka Shooting Range on Saturday.

It was the microstate’s second Olympic medal ever, after Perilli’s bronze in the women’s trap event on Thursday.

While he called his medal “special”, Berti ruled out becoming a professional shooter since it would not guarantee a comfortable lifestyle.

“No, I need to be a lawyer because I need to live my life,” the Sammarinese said.

“Being a professional shooter would not allow me to earn money to live a good life. So first of all I’m a lawyer, and then in the spare time I am a professional shooter.”

Berti trained three days a week until a month before the Games and daily thereafter before reaching Tokyo.

“It’s hard to balance work and training,” he said.

He could not match team mate Perilli’s consistency in the final and Berti knew why.

“I was not so focused on the shooting,” he said.

“I’m not a professional shooter. I’m a lawyer and everything about this is strange for me.”

Asked if the medal would enhance his stature in legal circles back home, the former trap World Cup winner quipped, “Lawyers are jealous people, so they will probably not say anything about it.”