By sportswriter He Leijing
PARIS, July 29 (Xinhua) -- In the hallowed silence of the venue, Sheng Lihao raised his rifle with unwavering precision. His gaze was steely, his mind a tranquil sea. As he squeezed the trigger, the world watched in awe, as the 19-year-old had just secured his place as the first dual gold medalist of the Paris Olympics.
The Chinese marksman clinched his second gold at the Games by winning the men's 10m air rifle event with an unflinching performance in Chateauroux. The victory followed his earlier triumph in the mixed team event alongside compatriot Huang Yuting, which marked China's first gold in Paris.
The individual event saw Sheng, the world record holder, dominate once again. He captured the gold with an impressive score of 252.2 points, surpassing America's William Shaner's Olympic record set in Tokyo by 0.6 points.
Born in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Sheng is the very definition of a prodigious shooter. Until the age of 13, he had never touched a rifle.
It was during a summer vacation at 13 that his father, Li Xiangping, introduced him to a local shooting club. Sheng instantly took to the sport with natural flair and his interest was ignited from that very first session.
Initially skeptical, Li saw how much his son enjoyed shooting and began taking him for regular practice sessions. Sheng's dedication paid off as his skills improved rapidly, catching the attention of local sports school coaches.
"He loves it, so we let him continue. Honestly, we never expected him to pursue this path," Li reflected.
The following year, Sheng was selected for the Suzhou Sports School's shooting team. His talent quickly flourished, leading to his induction into the Jiangsu provincial team in 2018 and China's national team by 2019, all before he turned 15.
Sheng's early training days were challenging due to his small stature, which required him to break down the act of raising his rifle into two steps. However, his coach at Suzhou Sports School, Shen Chao, knew Sheng's extraordinary talent.
"Once, during practice, he shot 600 out of 600, hitting 10 rings with every shot," Shen recounted, still amazed by the feat. "But talent alone isn't enough. Sheng trains tirelessly and keeps honing his concentration," Shen added.
The one year delay to the Tokyo Olympics allowed Sheng to qualify, where he made a stunning debut by taking a silver medal. Now as a key member of the national team's 10m air rifle squad, he has garnered multiple individual and team titles at the Asian Games, World Cups and Asian Championships.
Following his sensational performance in Paris, Sheng has attracted significant attention, with his quirky social media handle "Just by Eating" becoming a viral sensation. Fans dub him "Gan Fan Ge", or "foodie bro", praising him for "winning gold just by eating."
"He realized his Olympic gold medal dream, and we're truly happy for him," said Ni Juan, Sheng's primary school teacher, barely concealing her excitement after watching Sheng's victory. "Even as a child, he was very focused," she added.
Sheng has been a role model for many teenagers in his hometown. "I've watched all his competition videos and admire his ability to remain calm and composed. And I'm inspired to take up shooting," said Xu Yiheng, a primary student.
Sheng's stable and consistent performance is a testament to his unparalleled focus. "Concentration is very precious and very difficult, especially in a final. Many things can disrupt your focus. I practice hard to do my best to concentrate," Sheng said.
His calm demeanor is also attributed to learning from the greats in the shooting field, where China has a rich history of excellence.
Forty years ago, shooter Xu Haifeng won China's first-ever Olympic gold at the Los Angeles Games. At the current Games, shooting legend Wang Yifu was there cheering for the athletes.
"It's wonderful to meet him," Sheng said. "The achievements of those predecessors are an encouragement to us."
And the junior Sheng's legendary journey is likely to just begin. "I think I can continue to improve and win more medals in the future," he said.
