Incheon: China’s women set a world record in the Asian Games’ 10m air rifle team event after one of their shooters was disqualified but then reinstated following a heated appeal o Monday.
Yi Siling, Wu Liuxi and Zhang Binbin combined to score 1,253.8 points — just 0.1 points ahead of the previous mark of 1,253.7, also set by China, at the Asian shooting championships in Tehran last year.
But China nearly missed out on both the gold medal and the world record when Zhang was disqualified for shooting with a heavier rifle during the qualification round.
She was eventually allowed to compete after judges upheld her team’s vehement appeal, a lengthy process which delayed the individual final for 30 minutes.
Organisers declined to reveal reasons for the U-turn by the jury, but one shooting official said the disqualification may have been due to a technical error.
The reinstatement meant disappointment for Singapore, who were in the bronze medal position before the Chinese appeal was upheld but had to settle for fourth. And the Iranian team, who had been declared winners prior to the appeal, had to settle for the silver with a score of 1,245.9. South Korea took the bronze with 1,241.6. (PTI)
