Go Dowon won Korea’s second Youth Olympics Gold medal in shooting events, securing the highest step of the podium at the last shot.
Korea's Go Dowon snatched the last Shooting Sport gold medal on the lines of the Singapore Sport School at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games as she won the 10m Air Rifle Women Junior event today.
Go, who had made it into the final round in second place with a qualification score of 397 points, jumped atop of the standings after scoring 10.4 with her second shot, also taking advantage of mistake of the qualification’s leader, who fired a frustrating 8.1 on her first competition shot.
Go’s brilliant last two shots, a 10.6 and a 10.7, clinched victory with a total score of 500.1 (397+103.1) points.
“It’s great to be on this podium! I will try my best to succeed in other international competitions, as my dream is to participate in the Olympic Games!” the young Korean shooter said after the award ceremony.
"I wasn't expecting this result, -- continued Korean athlete, speaking about today’s final, -- I was very nervous from the beginning and it didn't ease off, so it was quite difficult because I was constantly nervous."
Gabriela Vognarova of the Czech Republic took the silver medal with a total of 498.6 points. The Czech was tied with Go after both recorded a score of 9.9 with their first shots of the final, and she wrapped up a great performance with a 10.8 on her 10th and final shot, ending up on the second step of the podium with a total score of 498.6 (397+101.6) points.
"Between the qualification round and the final I was singing songs," she said. "I do it a lot, because it helps me calm down. I sing whatever comes into my head. Today, I was singing disco!"
Jasmin Mischler of Switzerland claimed bronze with an overall of 498.1 (395+103.1) points after a tense battle for third against Germany's Yvonne Schlotterbeck, the qualification’s leader. The 18-year old Swiss shooter came through in her last four shots to secure her position on the podium with three tenths of advantage on her opponents. "I didn't even expect to win a bronze medal but my strategy was to just fight to the end," the 18-year-old said.
Today’s turned out to be an unlucky final for Germany’s Yvonne Schlotterbeck. The 17-year old shooter, usually competing in small bore international competition, gave her best during the qualification rounds.
Shooting in the lead since the first series, the German athlete nailed a 39 tens, missing then the world record of 400 out of 400 points by one point, as she fired a 9 on her last qualification shot.
Entering the final round in the lead with 399 points, Schlotterbeck wasted her two-point head start on her very first final shot, by firing a frustrating 8.1 which eventually relegated her in fourth place with a total score of 497.8 (399+98.8) points.
"My first five shots were bad but my next five were better. I'm a bit sad to come fourth, because I was in first place," the young German shooter said.
Her coach, Claudia Kulla (GER), said her young charge had shown what she was capable of in the qualification.
"I think what happened in the final was simply due to lack of experience. She has never been in such a big final," Kulla said. "In the qualification, she was the queen of hearts and showed she was a master of discipline and patience."
“But no worries” the coach said. Experience will come with the years, and it’s now time for Yvonne to compete for a spot in the Olympic Games.