Chinese shooter Yang Qian has won the first gold of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Yang won the medal in the early hours of Saturday, snatching a dramatic last-shot victory from Russia’s Anastasiia Galashina in the women’s 10m air rifle final.
Yang claimed gold with an Olympic record score of 251.8, edging ahead of Russian Anastasiia Galashina on 251.1 and Switzerland’s Nina Christen on 230.6.
The first medal events took place Saturday in Tokyo, with opportunities to win in archery, men’s cycling, fencing, judo, shooting, taekwondo and women’s weightlifting.
The first medal ceremony of the Games saw Yang presented with her gold by International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach.
Yang draped the medal around her neck after being handed the gold on a tray offered by Bach, in keeping with Covid-19 protocols in place at the Games.
With fans barred from venues, only a handful of Chinese support staff were on hand to congratulate Yang after the win.
Christen took bronze ahead of Norway’s Jeanette Hegg Duestad, who led after the qualifying round.
