Chinese Du Li won the women's 10m air rifle gold medalat the Athens Olympic Games on Saturday.(Xinhua Photo)

Lioubov Galkina of Russia wins the silver with a total of 501.5 points. (Xinhua photo)

Chinese Du Li smiles after taking the first gold medal of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games in Athens,Greece,August 14,2004(Xinhua Photo/Qi Heng)

Chinese Du Li smiles after taking the first gold medal of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games in Athens,Greece,August 14,2004(Xinhua Photo/Jiao Weiping)

Chinese Du Li wins women's 10m air rifle gold

   ATHENS, Aug. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- China's Du Li clinched the first gold medal of the Athens Olympics after she won the women's 10m air rifle event on Saturday.

    The 22-year-old outscored a host of elite markswomen, includingcompatriot Zhao Yinghui, world number one Lioubov Galkina of Russia and world and European champion Katerina Kurkova of the Czech Republic, winning with an Olympic record score of 502.0 points.

    Du, who is competing in her first Olympics, entered the 10-shot

    final with 398 points on joint second places along with Zhao and Kurkova. She was edged into fifth place after opening the final with a 9.4.

    The girl then maintained her composure and rejoined the title race with a 10.6 and 10.8. But she didn't overtake all-time leader Galkina until the last shot, firing a 10.6 against the Russian's 9.7.

    Galkina, who led by a full point into the final with 399 points,had to settle for the silver with a total of 501.5 points. Kurkova claimed the bronze medal with 501.1 points.

    Zhao, a title favorite before the Games, only finished a disappointing fourth on 500.8 points. Enditem

Results of women's 10m air rifle finals

   ATHENS, Aug. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Following are the final results of the women's 10m air rifle, the first gold medal at the Athens Olympic Games, on Saturday:

   1. Du Li, China, 502.0 points
   2. Lioubov Galkina, Russia, 501.5
   3. Katerina Kurkova, Czech Republic, 501.1
   4. Zhao Yinghui, China, 500.8
   5. Tatiana Goldobina, Russia, 499.5
   6. Sonja Pfeilschifter, Germany, 498.7
   7. Laurence Brize, France, 497.9
   8. Suma Shirur, India, 497.2              

Factbox: Olympic first gold winner Du Li

   ATHENS, Aug. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Du Li, China, women's 10m air rifle gold winner.

   DOB: May 3, 1982

   Birthplace: Shandong

   Height: 170cm

   Weight: 55kg

   Coach: Wang Yuefang

   Career: 2002 world champion, 2003 World Cup winner and word record holder

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