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Olympic champions enjoy different fortunes at National Games
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-10-17 21:15

JINAN, East China - Olympic shooting champions enjoyed mixed fortunes at the 11th Chinese National Games here in Jinan on Saturday.

Twice Olympic champion Du Li failed to live up to the expectations of her home fans as she lost in the women's 50m rifle three positions, missing golds and coveted prize money for a third consecutive time at the  National Games in the last eight years.

The 27-year-old, representing the host Shandong province at the nationwide tournament, scored only 683.1 points to finish fourth in the event.

Du joked prior to the competition that she did not know how to pull the trigger at the nationwide tournament, where the Olympic glory never ensures easy pass for the big name champions. Ironically, the fourth place finish was already her best performance at the National Games.

Her national teammate Wu Liuxi from Shaanxi claimed the gold on 688.3, with Yi Siling from Guangdong at second on 684.8.

In men's 10m air rifle, Athens Olympic champion Zhu Qinan of Zhejiang was hardly tested on his road to win the men's 10m air rifle on 702.2, a result which could lift him to the Beijing Olympic title last year.

The silver medal went to Jiangsu's Yu Jikang, who also scored a better result than the Beijing Olympic winner Abhinav Bindra of India.

In the nation-level Games where upset happens all the time, Zhu himself was one of the high-profile casualties.

"In the National Games 2005, I finished only ninth in the qualifier and missed the final. It is a heart-breaking moment. And this time the gold medal is the only thing I want. It is Shandong that brought me good luck and I took my chance," said Zhu.

In the last event on the schedule, veteran and Olympian Liu Yingzi of Hunan won the women's trap.