Shooting Day 4 Review: Sharp shooter smashes record
(BEIJING, August 12) — The United States’ Walton Eller set an Olympic final record by taking the gold in the Men’s Double Trap while Jin Jong-oh won gold for the Republic of Korea in the Men’s 50m Pistol with a margin of just 0.2 at the Beijing Shooting Range on Tuesday.
Eller broke both the Olympic qualification and final records that were set by defending gold medalist Ahmed Al-Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates in Athens. Eller, who finished 17th at Athens 2004, shot steadily (45 out of 50) in the final to claim the United States’ first-ever gold in the event.
In the Men’s 50m Pistol, Jin, silver medalist in Athens, entered the final ranked sixth but gained the lead from the first shot, which he lost only once on his fourth shot when he scored 8.5. He made a shaky 8.2 on his final shot but held on to win the gold medal.
Kim Jong-su of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea scored an impressive 10.5 on his last shot, but it was not enough to close the gap and he was forced to settle for the silver medal, his second medal in Beijing. He won the bronze medal in the 10m Air Pistol on August 9.
Favorite Tan Zongliang of China earned his first Olympic medal – a bronze – with a score of 659.5. He was first after the qualification round, but a poor first shot (7.9) dropped him to sixth and he was unable to regain the lead.
In the Men’s Double Trap, World No. 8 Francesco D Aniello of Italy earned his first Olympic medal and Italy’s second silver medal at the Beijing 2008 Shooting competition. The first silver medal was won by Giovanni Pellielo in the Men’s Trap. After the final ended, D Aniello kneeled on the grass and cried tears of happiness when he realized that he had secured the silver medal.
The local favorite, Hu Binyuan of China, who finished fourth at Athens 2004, hit 46 of the 50 targets in the final to win the bronze medal. China also won bronze medals in Men’s Double Trap at Atlanta 1996 and Athens 2004.
Both Hu and D Aniello shot the highest number of targets in the final (46 out of 50). The two other Olympic medalists in the final, Russell Mark of Australia and Richard Faulds of Great Britain, finished fifth and sixth respectively.
