ATHENS, Sept. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Mike Johnson of New Zealand, 31, broke the world and Paralympic records of the qualifying round in the mixed air rifle standing SH2, scoring a perfect 600/600 points at the 12th Paralympic Games here on Wednesday.

    He also equalled the final world and Paralympic records and won the first shooting medal for New Zealand.

    Azzura Ciani of Italy, Thomas Johanssonof Sweden, Yong Jae Sim of Sout Korea and Sweden's legend Jonas Jacobsson have equalled the world and Paralympic records in the qualifying round of the mixed air rifle prone SH1, scoring 600/600.

    Sweden swept the medals in the two air rifle events.

    Jacobsson added one more gold medal to his tally, winning the mixed air rifle prone SH1. He has also equalled the world and Paralympic record with maximum possible score 0f 600/600, in the qualifying round.

    Jacobsson, 39, has been competing in international level for over 20 years and he is now competing in his seventh Paralympic Games (he started from Arnhem in 1980). His collection includes 21 Paralympic medals -- 12 gold (including Wednesday's and the two he won in men's 10m air rifle standing SH1 and men's 50m free rifle 3X40 SH1 in this Games), one silver and eight bronze. He also holds 16 world and Paralympic records, being one of the most successful Paralympians ever.

    The 40-year-old South Korean Sim was second and Kazimierz Mechula of Denmark was third. Mechula, 56, shot an amazing final and managed to climb from sixth to third position.

    The thrilling final finished with two shoot-offs, one between Sim and Mechula for the silver medal and the other between Aki Terai of Japan and Lotta Helsinger of Sweden for the seventh place. The Japanese won the latter.

    Italian Ciano, 21, managed to finish only sixth after a very poor final pushed her out of medal contention. She was first after the qualifying round.

    Another shooter who equalled the world and Paralympic record, Johansson, was not able to win a medal, after a bad fifth shot in the Final. He was fourth.

    Chris Trifonidis, a member of the Canadian team descending from Greece, finished 22nd with a result of 596/600.

    Sweden claimed two medals in mixed air rifle standing SH2, but the gold went to Mike Johnson of New Zealand, 31, the new world and Paralympic record holder. After a thrilling final, former Paralympic record holder Thomas Johansson, who participated in two

    finals on Wednesday, moved up from fifth to second position in spite of a problem with his weapon. His teammate Victoria Wedin remained in third place as in the qualifying round. She shot 10.9(maximum possible score) in the last shot and secured the bronze medal.

    Damjian Pavlin of Slovenia was second in qualification, but a poor start in the final pushed him out of medal contention.

    Panagiotis Giannoukaris, representing host country Greece, finished 16th with 590/600.

    After five days and ten events, 18 countries and regions have won at least one medal. Sweden and South Korea lead the medal standings with five medals each. Germany follows with three. Enditem