Shooting powerhouse China thrilled local spectators by winning five of the total six Guangzhou Asaid shooting gold medals on Saturday.

The only "missing" gold went to South Korea.

Yi Siling, the 21-year-old world record holder, launched China's gold harvest by leading Chinese team to claim women's 10m air rifle team title. Yi headed the Chinese team with 399 points, and her teammates Wu Liuxi and Yu Dan garnered 398 and 397 points respectively.

However, it wasn't an effortless victory.

Iran made the second place with 1192 points, two points behind China, and four shy of the world record on this event.

"We didn't practise as much as Chinese shooters," said Iran coach Lasio Ferent Szucsnk. "We have to give them more confidence."

It was still not the strongest Iran team. "We have so many talented shooters in the team. The team won the university world championship this year, and the champion didn't come."

Yi made it much easier in the final of the individual event. She got a final score of 504.9 points, 2.1 more than teammate Wu Liuxi. With one shot remaining, Yi was still possible for a new world record. She needed a 10.8-plus performance, but the final shot turned out to be 10.0.

"I had a great opportunity," said Yi after the match. "I just thought too much about the new record."

South Korean pistol marksmen stopped China's winning streak. They collected 1,679 points to win men's 50m pistol team event to knock down the very first gold medal for the South Korean Asiad delegation.

China trailed by eight points to get the silver. Japan's 1,667 points awarded them the bronze.

When Jin Jong-oh, South Korea's top shooter, was expecting the second straight title, Chinese underdog Pu Qifeng came from behind to block his way.

The story seemed to run in the right way when Jin topped qualification phase with 566 points. Trailing by one point at the beginning of the final, Pu seized chance at the second shot, in which Jin made a surprising 8.2. Jin made his way back by making five 9.7-up show in the next six shots, but his 7.7 points dragged him back to the second place.

Rallying back to snatch gold, Pu was in high spirit after the match.

"I must keep trying in order not to make our team feel shameful," said Pu.

The last two events belonged to local rifle shooting star Zhu Qinan. Zhu, together with teammates Yu Jikang and Cao Yifei, secured China's fourth shooting gold at men's team event with 1784 points. India was one point behind to get the silver, while South Korea took the bronze with 1780 points.

Zhu didn't wait long to harvest his second gold, also in a tortuous process. He came into the final with one-point advantage, but dropped to the second place after five shots. India's Gagan Narang saw a chance of beating Zhu. He kept the hope until the final shot, before which he was 0.6 points behind. However, Narang failed to complete his surpass, scoring a fatal 9.7 to lose the gold.

"If I had had a better shot, I would have won," said disappointed Narang. "I was too hasty on the last shot."

Zhu, who vowed to collect four gold medals at Asiad, thought it wasn't that hard for him to get the first two.

"This is my normal form," said Zhu. "I met a little problem in the qualification, but I overcame it in time."

"Asiad is very important to our team. We prepared a lot for it. Of course there are pressure, but I would rather see it as an opportunity for me."

Zhu became one of China's most famous shooters after claiming gold at 2004 Olympics in Greece, but he lost the chance to defend the title at home in 2008.

"I feel more stable now in the final stage of the match," he said. "After the Asiad, I will begin to prepare for the London Olympics."

(Xinhua News Agency November 14, 2010)