Zhang Yi, who cut a figure in the 2006 world championships by
pocketing junior gold of the 10-meter air rifle, missed the crown
in Chinese City Games out of fatigue.
China pins hope on women's 10-meter air rifle at the Beijing
Olympics, which might send the host country the first gold
medal.
Zhang is currently ranked No. 4 in the discipline in national
shooting squad. She is going to take part in qualifying matches
next March for a ticket into the 2008 Olympics arena. "I would do
much better then," she smiled shyly.
"I was just back from the World Cup Final earlier this October,"
said the 21-year-old sharpshooter from north China's Hebei
Province. "And I practiced for only several hours before the
competition."
With a good start of a record-equally 400 points in the
qualification round, Zhang scored only half of the ten shots in the
final above ten points, with her marks fluctuating seriously from
10.9 to 9.4. The total of 500.8 points pulled her to the third
place.
At last session of the City Games, the unlucky girl was stopped
in the qualification round due to an untimely fever.
Zhang admitted that she lost concentration a bit in the
competition. "It was like finishing a task."
"She was not decisive while opening fire," said Li Dongqi,
director of the Hebei Provincial Shooting Center.
Zhang was beaten by 23-year-old Yang Jing representing Yinchuan
of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, who grabbed the
gold medal with 502.6 points, followed by 19-year-old Xie Jieqiong
from Jinan of Shandong Province with 501.3 points.
Wang Yifu, head coach of the national shooting team, was
dissatisfied with their performances. "Their scores in the final
are too low to guarantee a place for them in world events," he
said. "Du Li would do much better."
Du, champion of the Athens Olympic Games, holds the world record
with 504.9 points.
A tycoon in shooting events, China is strong in the discipline
and stormed half of its gold medals at World Cup and World
Championship competitions over the past three years. Du alone
snatched one-third of the medals.
(Xinhua News Agency October 30, 2007)