(BEIJING, August 14) -- The first gold of the Beijing Games was put under Chinese shooter Du Li's name even before the Games started. However, Du finished fifth in the Women's 10m Air Rifle last Saturday, August 9. The honor of winning the Games' first gold medal eventually went to Katerina Emmons of the Czech Republic.

　　Chastened by her performance in the Women's 10m Air Rifle, Du did not pass up her second chance of a winning a gold medal. Du won the gold medal with a new Olympic record for the final score of 690.3, while her qualification score of 589 equaled the Olympic record. Du broke both the Olympic qualification record set by Renata Mauer of Poland at Atlanta 1996 and the Olympic record for a final score set by Russian Lioubov Galkina at Athens 2004.

　　Following Du in second and third place were Emmons with a final score of 687.7 and Cuba's Eglis Yaima Cruz with 687.6.

　　The final started badly for Du when she shot 8.7, the worst single shot of any shooter in the final. Cuba's Cruz caught up and took the lead with her first shot scoring 10.3. Du soon regained first place when she scored 10.4 on her third shot, while Cruz could only manage 9.3. Cruz's last taste of the lead was on her fifth shot when Du scored 9.9 and Cruz made 10.5.

　　Du's timely 10.8 on her sixth shot set up her victory and 10.8 on her ninth shot secured the gold medal. Emmons fought back to beat Cruz for the silver medal.