Golden generation

Sure shot

At 16, Sheng was Team China's youngest shooter, but matched his older rivals for grit and mental toughness with his consistent scoring in the nerve-wracking final.

Coach Yao Ye is sure Sheng has yet to reach his full potential.

"Despite the podium finish in Tokyo, he's not fully developed yet and still has a long career ahead of him," said Yao.

"He needs to keep practicing while studying at school to mature and gain a better understanding of shooting as a career path."

In table tennis, 20-year-old Sun Yingsha's ruthless 4-0 victory over Japan's Mima Ito in last week's women's singles semifinals was a major highlight of China's supremacy in the racket sport.