China has claimed the first gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, with Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao triumphing in the 10-meter air rifle mixed team event. The victory marks China's 68th medal in shooting and 27th gold medal in the sport.
China's Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao have made history by claiming the first gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, topping South Korea's Keum Ji-hyeon and Park Ha-jun in the 10-meter air rifle mixed team event with a score of 16-12. The victory marks China's 68th medal in the sport of shooting and 27th gold medal.
China's Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao Secure First Gold Medal at 2024 Paris Olympics
For Huang, this was her first Olympic medal, while Sheng earned his second, having previously won a silver medal in the 10-meter air rifle at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Their triumph in Paris follows their gold medal victory at the World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, last year.
The Chinese pair faced stiff competition from the South Korean team, with Keum Ji-hyeon having won a gold medal in the women's 10-meter air rifle at the World Cup earlier this year. However, Huang and Sheng proved to be too strong, eventually prevailing with a comfortable margin.
China's Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao Secure First Gold Medal at 2024 Paris Olympics
Kazakhstan's Alexandra Le and Islam Satpayev also made history by securing the first Olympic medals for their country, defeating Germany's Anna Janssen and Maximilian Ulbrich for the bronze medal in the 10-meter air rifle mixed team event. Their victory was a testament to Kazakhstan's growing strength in shooting, having won eight bronze medals at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
The 2024 Paris Olympics have now officially begun, with China and Kazakhstan leading the medal table with one gold and one bronze medal each. The Games are set to feature numerous thrilling competitions, with athletes from around the globe vying for glory in 329 events across 32 sports.
China's Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao Secure First Gold Medal at 2024 Paris Olympics
The United States' Mary Tucker and Lucas Kozeniesky finished fourth in the 10-meter air rifle mixed team event, while the Russian Olympic Committee's Yulia Karimova and Sergey Kamenskiy claimed the bronze medal.
Shooting has always been a popular sport at the Olympics, and the 2024 Paris Games are no exception. The competition promises to be fierce, with some of the world's best shooters competing for medals.
Huang and Sheng have set the tone for the Olympics, and it will be exciting to see what other nations and athletes will rise to the challenge. The 2024 Paris Games are set to be a celebration of sporting excellence, and the first gold medal has been fittingly awarded to two deserving athletes.
