Thrasher hits first Rio gold on Games debut

USA’s gold medallist Virginia Thrasher (C) poses on the
podium with China’s silver medal winner Du Li (L) and
China’s bronze medallist Yi Siling during the medal
ceremony for the women’s 10m air rifle shooting event at
the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Shooting Centre
in Rio de Janeiro on August 6, 2016.
Pascal GUYOT / AFP
US teenager Virginia Thrasher claimed the first Rio
Olympics gold medal with her final shot in the
shooting on Saturday.
The 19-year-old won the women’s 10m air rifle title
at the Deodoro shooting venue, holding her nerve to
see off China’s Du Li on the final shot.
She finished with 208 points, one clear of 2004
Athens champion Du. Bronze medal went to China’s
defending champion Yi Siling.
Olympic chief Thomas Bach looked on in the crowd
as the first of 12 gold medals in play on a crammed
opening day was awarded. There are more than 300
titles on offer over the next fortnight at the 2016
Olympics.
Thrasher claimed gold just 11 hours after Brazilian
marathon runner Vanderlei Cordeiro lit the
Olympic cauldron at the climax of Friday’s
spectacular opening ceremony.
An absorbing competition was led briefly by Daria
Vdovina, one of the Russian contingent competing
in Rio in the shadow of the massive doping scandal
that has dogged the Games build-up.
She eventually slipped off the pace to finish fifth.
Yi was bang in contention to successfully defend her
2012 crown but sharp shooting saw Thrasher and

Du go head to head, with the American, displaying
maturity beyond her years, edging it on the final
shot.
Surprise absentees from the final were Serbian duo
Andrea Arsovic and Ivana Maksomovic, both rated
major threats but who misfired in qualifying.
For New York native Thrasher this was a dream
Olympic debut after only taking up the sport four
years ago.