Lee Eun-Ju, 17, of South Korea, flashes a smile and a peace sign while leaning in to fellow gymnast Hong Un Jong, 27, of North Korea, who also smiles for the pic.
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Hoang Xuan Vinh claimed silver to add to his opening day’s 10m air pistol gold, the first ever Olympic title for Vietnam.
KBS World reported that the 36-year old native of Gangwon Province made Olympic history by being the first Olympian to win a gold medal in the 50-meter pistol event for three consecutive Olympics in Beijing, London and now, in Rio.
North Korean Kim Song Guk took bronze.
The victor of Olympic gold in the event at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, Jin became the first shooter, male or female, to win the same shooting event at three consecutive Games and to land four individual shooting gold medals, the South Korean having also won 10m air pistol gold in the British capital four years ago.
Jin dropped to the bottom of the standings with a surprising ninth shot that put him on the cusp of elimination.
“Some people say I should step aside and make room for younger shooters, but I wish they’d refrain from saying that”, Jin said. I wanted to give up I was doing badly, but I said to myself this is my last Olympics.
Still alive, but a 4.4-point deficit with 10 shots left was a lot to ask.
“If I train harder I think I will do better”.
He just kept shooting – and hitting his mark.
It was South Korea’s fourth gold medal in Rio, and first medal of any kind in shooting.
Jin entered the final round just 0.2 points behind Hoang, who appeared to be unnerved by Jin’s charge.
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Hoang and Kim set the pace early, with Kim hitting the ideal 10.9 with his fifth shot and taking the lead with 60.3 points after six shots. Jin fired a 9.3 on his final shot, but it turned out to be good enough after Hoang shot 8.2.
