Shooter makes golden breakthrough in Paris

Seasoned shooter Li Yuehong cracked a hard target on Monday at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre, near Paris, France, to bring China its first-ever Olympic gold in the men's 25m rapid fire pistol event.

Cho Yeong-jae of South Korea won silver, and Li's teammate Wang Xinjie took home the bronze.

Li, 34, who has made three Olympic appearances and won bronze medals at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, realized his golden dream with 32 hits at the ongoing Games. At the prize ceremony on Monday, Li triumphantly raised his arms, sharing the joy of his victory with the audiences.

His monumental achievement raised the number of gold medals won by the Chinese shooting team in Paris to five. The team's overall performance has been stellar, with a haul of 10 medals, including two silvers and three bronzes, making this the team's best Olympic show ever.

From the first gold secured by Generation Z members Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao in the 10m air rifle mixed team event, to the fifth gold won by Li, who is the Chinese shooting team's eldest member, the champions demonstrated how talent spans generations in China.

Monday's final rounds were fiercely competitive, but even when he was trailing, Li — a world record holder — didn't lose hope, fighting until his very last shot. In the decisive final three rounds, he delivered two perfect sets of five hits and one set with four out of five, securing his lead and clinching the gold.

After his historic win, Li shared a long embrace with his coach, Zhang Jianwei.

"Our coordination is seamless. We understand each other with just a glance," Li said, expressing deep gratitude for the unwavering support and meticulous training he received from Zhang since they started collaborating in 2021.

Li's victory also filled the last gap in the Chinese shooting team's gold medal puzzle. Before the Paris Games, the men's 25m rapid fire pistol was the only event in which the Chinese team had not yet won an Olympic gold.

"I stand on the shoulders of giants, learning from my predecessors. They have won every championship except the Olympics. I carry their dreams with me," Li said, attributing this breakthrough to the hard work and dedication of generations of Chinese shooters. "This gold medal belongs to each and every one of them."

Li gained fame early in his career and secured many milestones. At the 2010 Asian Games, held in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, he was a newcomer to the national team and won two gold medals in the men's 25m rapid fire pistol individual and team events.

In August 2023, Li created a world record in the men's 25m rapid fire pistol event at the ISSF World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, with 39 hits, which he still holds.

However, his Olympic journey had been challenging until now.

Li recalled that during the Rio Games, he wasn't yet "capable enough" of winning gold and was "thrilled" with just bronze. During the Tokyo Games, although his skills had improved, his focus wavered and he came in third.

"In my first two Olympics, I couldn't consistently perform at a high level, so I mostly gained experience from (my) losses," he said. "After working with my new coach, I focused more on avoiding the mistakes I had made before. This time, I was in a much better shape. I thank myself for the years of perseverance, and I am deeply grateful to everyone on the team. We have all been striving toward (achieving) our dreams."

Veteran shooter Tao Lu'na, who claimed the first gold medal for China at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the women's 10m air pistol event, has been watching the Chinese shooting team's performance at the Paris Games.

"Success is not accidental, but comes from long-term, relentless effort. I am incredibly proud of our Chinese shooting team," Tao told The Paper.