SPORTS> China
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SPORTS> China
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Police-turned-shooter sets sights on Olympics
(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-10-21 09:27 JINAN: A police officer from Anhui province has shot his way into the record books after he was on target, yet again, at the National Games.
Lou Xiangwu, an amateur, had to fire his way past the nation's top professionals to haul home his latest medal. Something the police officer hopes is noticed among Anhui's law-breakers. "Those criminals will be horrified at the news," joked Lou, who is based at the Wuhu public security bureau in Anhui province, after taking bronze in the men's 10 m air pistol team event yesterday. The medal was 39-year-old Lou's second of the Games - he had already out-shot a star-studded field, including Beijing Olympic silver medalist Tan Zongliang, to claim gold in the men's 50m pistol event on Sunday. Lou is unusual because, in this era of professional athletes, he is one of a small group of amateurs able to win a medal. "The shooting training compliments my job very much because I have to work with guns as a policeman," said Lou. He was the only amateur on the shooting range at the Games. He first tried his hand at shooting 16 years ago, when the Games were held in Beijing. Back then, he was a student member of an amateur sports academy and he left the Games empty-handed. After that, he retired from competitive shooting and went off to become a police officer in his hometown. An opportunity to compete at a provincial sports meeting in 1996 drew Lou out of retirement and helped him regain his confidence.
While his visits to the shooting range are full of fireworks, he is thankful he has only ever had to use his weapon once during his day job. "As a policeman, we can't fire randomly," Lou said. "I shot a criminal in his ankle in 1995." Since his return to competitive shooting, Lou has been unstoppable. At the ninth National Games, in 2001, Lou claimed his first Games' gold medal, defeating China's top shooters - Wang Yifu, the Olympic champion and the current head coach of the national team, and Tan, the World Cup champion in 2000. Four years later, in Nanjing, he narrowly missed out on a medal in the 50m pistol, finishing fourth. "I think I did a good job this time. I have tried my best," said Lou, after his fifth appearance at a National Games. Lou's coach, Sun An, attributed his success, in part, to his job. "Working as policeman played an important role in Lou's victory," said Sun. "Lou is strong mentally since as a policeman he always has a very busy schedule and has to stay alert all the time." And just like the professional sharpshooters he competes against, Lou dreams of representing China at the Olympic Games. "If I get the opportunity, I want to represent China," Lou said. "Standing in the Olympic shooting range is my dream." However, he says he also loves working as a police officer and must balance his job and his training. "It's impossible for me to do intensive training all the time," he said. "I just train with my coach at weekends. But I will never give up." |
