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China Roars Back In Shooting

ATLANTA (AP) -- The tears Li Duihong shed on the victory podium were for her country. The emotions tugging at her heart were for a stricken hero.

Li set an Olympic record in shooting Friday and, along with teammates Yang Ling and Xiao Jun, helped mend China's wounded pride.

Li, a 26-year-old member of the Chinese Army twice named one of its top 10 athletes, won the gold medal in the 25-meter sport pistol, and Yang and Xiao finished 1-2 in the 10-meter running target.

The trio's cache eased much of the pressure the Chinese shooters have felt since 1992 Olympic champion and national hero Wang Yifu lost the gold medal in the air pistol finals before collapsing on the opening day of the Olympics.

Wang fired such a poor shot in his final attempt that it cost him a seemingly safe lead over Italy's Roberto Di Donna. Wang took the silver but never made it to the medals ceremony, having to be taken away in a stretcher.

Wang returned three days later to compete in the 50-meter free pistol. But still visibly ill and needing to take oxygen throughout that competition, he failed to win a medal.

In skeet, American medal contender Bill Roy of Alamogordo, N.M., was tied with 10 other shooters for 14th place after the first day of qualifying. Only the top six shooters advance after Saturday's final two rounds of qualification.

Wang's coach, Zhang Heng, said Friday Wang had suffered from headaches and low blood pressure before leaving China on July 15 and had continued to feel sick after arriving in Atlanta.

Li cried on the medial stand as the Chinese national anthem was played.

``When I saw the national flag go up, I could not control myself,'' she said. ``I'm proud to win the medal for myself and my country.''

Later, her eyes again filled with tears, Li praised Wang.

``If he had not had problems, he would have won,'' she said. ``He was the silver medalist and that was not easy for him. I would say to him that his silver medal is heavier than my gold.''

Li's coach, Xu Haifeng, said all the Chinese shooters and coaches had been under pressure to win a gold medal since Wang's collapse,

``I told her not to think about the gold medal or the competition,'' he said.

Yang, who competed with a cough and sore throat, said he, too, felt sorry for Wang, but preferred to talk about China's best day in shooting.

``Ms Li and both of us did well today,'' said Yang. ``That is a different matter from Mr. Wang. Mr. Wang was sick and could not win. We regret for him.''

Li, the silver medalist in Barcelona four years ago, finished with an Olympic-record score of 687.9. Diana Yorgova of Bulgaria won the silver (684.8) and Marina Logvinenko of Russia the bronze (684.2).

Yang also set an Olympic record with his score of 685.8 points. Xiao, sixth going into the final 10 shots, had the highest score in the finals (102.8) and finished with 679.8. Miroslav Janus of the Czech Republic won the bronze (678.4).

The gold and bronze medalists at Barcelona, Michael Jakosits of Germany and Lubos Racansky of the Czech Republic, were eliminated in the qualifying round.

Roy hit 72 of 75 clay targets in trap and was three hits behind the three leaders.

``I'm a firm believer that it's not over 'til it's over,'' Roy said. ``I have my family and friends here, supporting me. I feel inspired and focused to come out and shoot the way I know I can tomorrow.''