by Sportswriters Wang Meng, Niu Mengtong and Shen Nan

GUANGZHOU, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- At China's 15th National Games, Cheung Pok Leong, a 30-year-old air pistol shooter from Macao, quietly packed away his gear after finishing 65th in the men's 10-meter air pistol event with a total of 549 points. Together with his teammate, he placed 42nd in the mixed team competition on Saturday.

The results, he admitted with a wry smile, were "not satisfactory." But behind those modest numbers lies a story of persistence, discipline, and a deep-rooted love for the sport.

This was Cheung's first appearance at the National Games. He had previously represented Macao at the National Youth Games and the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games, where he achieved a personal best of 557 points -- a performance he still remembers with pride.

Cheung's journey into shooting began relatively late. At the time, Macao's laws only allowed residents to apply for a firearms license at 18. "I started shooting when I was 18," he recalled. "I first saw shooting on TV during the 2004 Athens Olympics. Since then, I just waited for my turn."

He discovered the sport through a government-run summer shooting program for students in 2013, and within two years, he was competing in official events. "Maybe I have a bit of talent," he said modestly. "But mostly it's about time. If I could train longer each week, I'd improve much faster."

Unlike most of his mainland counterparts, Cheung is an amateur athlete. He works full-time at a hotel -- a job with irregular hours that leaves little time for training. "There are times I work overnight," he said. "If I finish in the morning, I can't train that day. Mostly I only get to practice on weekends, but sometimes I have to work on weekends too."

The lack of consistent training has taken its toll. "If you can't train every day, your performance fluctuates," he said. "Last year, my form dropped quite a bit because of work."

During the six months leading up to the National Games, Cheung often trained half a day and worked the rest, spending nine to 10 hours in total including commuting. "Sleep less, that's all," he said with a laugh.

Cheung ranks among Macao's top shooters, having won several local championships between 2022 and 2024. His personal best is around 564 points, and he believes he once had the potential to reach 570 if he had been able to train regularly. "After the Asian Games, my scores went up, but because of my job schedule, sometimes early shifts, sometimes late, I couldn't keep practicing," he said. "The form just dropped. I felt it was a pity."

Still, he remains philosophical. "When I shoot well, when I stop thinking about everything else, that's when I'm happiest," he said. "It's not even about results. It's just that for a while, all the troubles of life disappear."

Cheung plans to keep shooting "until I can't anymore." Whether or not he continues to compete, he said the sport will always be part of his life.

"Even if I can't enter competitions, I'll still go to the range," he said. "I just love it. Only passion can keep you going. Without it, you can't last in this sport." Enditem