ISSF World C'ships: Against odds, Hong Kong veteran shooter makes history with silver medal

Cairo, Nov 13 (IANS) Under the bright lights of a Cairo shooting range, Shing Ho Ching carved a historic moment for Hong Kong sports. The 31-year-old pistol shooter won a silver medal in the women 10-meter air pistol final Monday at the 2025 ISSF World Championships - Hong Kong first-ever medal at the prestigious tournament.

Just making the final was already a win, Shing said afterwards, still smiling in disbelief. This was beyond anything I expected.

The final unfolded like a drama marked by composure and courage. Shing, known for her brisk pace, led the field midway through the contest. Im almost always the first to finish, she said with a laugh, reports Xinhua.

Her quick rhythm gave her a 0.8-point advantage until the final two series, when the pressure intensified. China 20-year-old Yao Qianxun surged with shots of 10.6 and 10.7. Shing, in a split-second decision, re-raised her pistol after an unsatisfactory aim. I saw the clock running down and got a little anxious, she said. The first lift didnt feel right, so I started over. But that second attempt wasnt my usual action.

The result was an 8.6 - the shot she later called the difference. Yao took gold with 243.0 points, Shing earned silver with 241.2, and China Qian Wei claimed bronze. Her coach, Chen Haohui, praised her quiet endurance. Today she showed real maturity, Chen said. She stayed calm, even after that 8.6, and fought all the way. It was a big mental breakthrough.

Roard to the podium

Shing road to this milestone was far from straightforward. She began shooting at 15 - the minimum legal age to handle firearms in Hong Kong - after her mother sent her to a summer class just to keep me busy.

Selected for the youth team soon after, she trained between school hours. After university, she made a defining choice. Most of my friends went to work, she said. But I told myself, maybe give it a year, see if I can make the [Tokyo] Olympics. That was years ago, and Im still here.

The Olympic dream kept her going through near-misses. Shing fell short of qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Games and missed the 2024 Paris Olympics by one ranking place. I thought, should I keep going for another four years? I was so close. It felt hard to give up. So I told myself, let see how it goes this time.

Training in Hong Kong is a lonely pursuit. Im the only full-time shooter, she said. Most of the time, it is just me and my coach.

The COVID-19 pandemic deepened that isolation. When Hong Kong shooting ranges shuttered in 2021-22, she went months without touching a pistol. I couldnt train. No facilities, no way to commute safely, she recalled.

A lifeline arrived when she was offered a chance to train with the Chinese national team for three months to prepare for the delayed 2023 Asian Games - a chance that reshaped her confidence.

Walking into the national team camp, Shing felt the skills gap immediately. I was so far behind, she admitted. I hadnt trained properly in months. At first, I had no strength, no feel for the gun.

But the family atmosphere did much to soften the transition. Training alongside Qian and Olympic champion Jiang Ranxin, she adjusted to early wake-ups and split-day practice sessions.

The biggest lesson wasnt technical, she recalled. It was realising the distance between me and the best wasnt as far as I thought. That gave me confidence.

By the end of the camp, she had found her rhythm again - and friendships that resurfaced in Cairo.

Overcoming odds

Before the final, I was nervous, she said. Yao and Qian talked with me for a bit, and that helped calm me down. Theyre like old teammates now.

On Wednesday, Shing shared a group photo on social media with Jiang, Qian, and Yao, writing: I really have to thank everyone who has taught me, helped me, and supported me along my shooting journey.

Shing now looks to the next Olympic cycle, her determination undimmed. Im older than most of them - some are ten years younger, she said. But that also means Im steadier. Ive learned how to handle pressure.

As she posed on the podium, the silver medal glinting under the lights, she allowed herself a big smile. Shooting is like a game, she said. Every match is a new puzzle - when to stay calm, when to fight back. I love solving it.

--IANS

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