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Katerina Emmons wins 1st Olympic gold
chinadaily.com.cn
Updated: 2008-08-09 11:04
BEIJING -- Czech sharpshooter Katerina Emmons wrote her name into history as she won the first gold of the 29th Olympics in women's 10m air rifle.
Emmons improved Olympic Record of the discipline to 503.5 points, followed by Russian Lioubov Galkina in the second place at 502.1. The bronze medal went to Snjezana Pejcic of Croatia with 500.9 points.
Katerina Emmons of the Czech Republic kisses her husband after taking the title of women's 10m air rifle, which is the first Olympic Beijing gold medal at the Beijing Olympic Games, August 9, 2008. [Sohu.com] |
Among the slowest to finish, the 25-year-old blonde equalled World Record of qualification round with 400 points, a full mark which was one point higher than the previous Olympic Record.
In the ten-shot final, she did well at the beginning but lapsed at the third shot with a lowest 9.7 points.
However, the Athens Olympic bronze medalist managed to adjust herself quickly to follow with a 10.9, which incurred thunderous applauses.
Always the last to open fire, Emmons scored the following five shots above ten.
Although she finished her impressive performance with a 9.9 at last shot, it was high enough to ensure her a first Olympic gold.
Sheding tears in excitement, the pretty shooter turned around to embrace and kiss her husband, American shooter and Olympic champion Matthew Emmons, who had been watching behind her throughout the qualification and the final.
The silver medal was grabbed by famous Russian shooter Lioubov Galkina with 502.1 points after a seesaw battle with Croatian rising star Snjezana Pejcic. The latter settled for a bronze with 500.9 points.
Chinese shooter Du Li, Athens Olympic champion and former Olympic Record holder, seemed no in the shape and finished as fifth with 499.6 points.