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Roundup: Opening title goes to teenager, Vietnam gets milestone gold

Xinhua, August 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

19-year-old U.S. shooter Virginia Thrasher won her first international competition medal on Saturday, which happened to be the first gold at 2016 Rio Olympics.

With former Olympic champion Du Li and Yi Siling on the same court at women's 10m air rifle event, the teenager shot good enough to bring the first gold medal to Team USA.

Thrasher finished the match with 208.0 points, one point more than 2004 Athens Games champion Du from China. Defending champion Yi took home the bronze with 185.4 points.

Thrasher's best record on international stage before the Rio Olympics is the fourth place at the ISSF World Cup in Munich earlier this year.

"It's just an intensive feeling of pride for my country and I'm so happy to be here," said Thrasher after the victory ceremony.

"I was just trying to shoot the best I could for my first Olympics experience coming without any medal. The first gold medal for Rio 2016, for USA at 19 years old is incredible."

It was the fourth Olympics for 34-year-old veteran Du, who won the title at the same event 12 years ago in Athens, Greece.

"It's really hard," said the silver medalist. "There were some expectations, but It's just too hard."

Saturday's other gold went to 41-year-old Vietnam veteran Hoang Xuan Vinh. He won Vietnam the first-ever Olympic gold after claiming the men's 10m air pistol event.

"I'm happy that I can get the first Olympic gold for Vietnam," said Hoang after the match. "It will be my life-time memory."

Vietnam has won two Olympic silvers prior to the 2016 Games, one from weightlifting and the other from taekwondo.

Hoang shot 202.5 points in the final to get the title. Brazilian local talent Almeida Felipe Wu finished with 202.1 points. Beijing Olympics gold medalist Pang Wei took the bronze with 180.4 points. Endit