In the men's 10m air rifle final at the Paris MKsport2024 Olympics on Monday, Chinese shooter Sheng Lihao won the gold medal and set a new Olympic record. This marks Sheng's second gold medal at these Games and the fifth gold medal for the Chinese team.

In the women's 10m air rifle final at the Paris 2024 Olympics on July 29, 2024 Huang Yuting narrowly missed out on gold by 0.1 points in a shoot-off, finishing with silver behind South Korea's Pan Hyo-jin. Photo: IC

At the final, Sheng delivered an outstanding performance, hitting 10.9 points twice. He maintained his lead throughout the competition. Sheng demonstrated exceptional mental strength at critical moments. Despite fierce competition from Swedish shooter Viktor, Sheng remained steady and ultimately secured the gold medal with a score of 252.2 points.

Sheng began shooting at the age of 13 and joined the sports school shooting team in 2017. He won championships at the Jiangsu Provincial Games and several national competitions in 2018.

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the then-16-year-old Sheng earned a silver medal in the men's 10m air rifle, becoming the youngest athlete in Olympic shooting medal history. At the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games, he won gold medals in both the individual and mixed team events for the men's 10m air rifle.

Now, at 19, Sheng has reached the pinnacle of success at the Paris 2024 Olympics, proving that true talent emerges at a young age.

In the women's 10m air rifle final at the Paris 2024 Olympics the same day, Huang Yuting narrowly missed out on gold by 0.1 points in a shoot-off, finishing with silver behind South Korea's Pan Hyo-jin. The 17-year-old Huang shot 251.8 points, tying the Olympic record set by Yang Qian at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

During a post-match interview, Huang said, "It's a bit sad, but it's okay. I'll keep working hard for next time. After the competition, I plan to take a break and maybe go to a concert."

Previously, Huang and her partner, Sheng Lihao, won the gold medal in the 10m air rifle mixed team event, securing the first gold for the Chinese team at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Sheng is also competing for a medal in the men's 10m air rifle event later on July 29.

At just 17 years old, Huang, from a small village in Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang Province became the "Triple Crown" champion at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023 and was the youngest member on the Forbes China "30 Elites Under 30" list in 2023. Her journey from a small village to the international stage showcases her remarkable maturity and composure.

Huang began shooting at the age of 10. Her coach, Lin Kehan, praised her strong psychological resilience. In the 2019 Nanjing U18 finals, despite the electronic targets malfunctioning, Huang won the competition under "blind shooting" conditions. In November 2020, she joined the Zhejiang provincial shooting team and became the youngest member of the national team at that time.

Huang's performance on the field is consistently excellent, while she remains modest and focused off the field. Despite achieving significant results in various major events, she remains low-key and dedicated to her training and competitions.

Both her family and coaches highly commend her for being "thoughtful and strong." Although her training and competitions keep her away from her family, they continue to provide her with unwavering support and love.

Huang's success is not only a result of her personal efforts, but also the support and encouragement from her family and coaches. Her story inspires more young athletes to pursue their dreams and continually advance on their life's journey.