Sports
2020.03.08 09:20 GMT+8

China holds first ever online shooting competition

Updated 2020.03.08 12:49 GMT+8
CGTN

A two-day first-ever online competition between members of China's national shooting team and four provincial teams concluded on Saturday.

This is the first time in China that a sports competition is held completely online in different locations.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, sports teams are training behind closed doors for Tokyo 2020, for which Team China has secured a full 20 berths in the shooting competition.

Besides the national team, teams from Shanghai and provinces of Shanxi, Jiangsu and Zhejiang joined the competition in their respective training bases, with their performance live broadcast online.

Chinese shooter Jin Yongde wins a bronze medal in the men's 25 meter standard pistol event at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, November 17, 2010. /VCG

"It's our first time to hold a contest live online so it is a practical exercise for our athletes and they adjusted to it quickly. I think they performed on a normal level," said Jin Yongde, leader of Team China.

Jin believed the contest would help athletes accumulate practical experience to prepare for Tokyo 2020.

Eight participants competed in the men's 10 meter air pistol final on Friday. The result of each shot was shown live in real time.

Wang Mengyi won the men's competition with a result of 244.8 points while 2018 world team champion Jiang Ranxin triumphed in the women's section with 245.2 points.

On Saturday, 2014 Youth Olympics champion Yang Haoran safely claimed the men's 10 meter air rifle victory with 253.2 points while Yang Qian won the women's competition.

Wang Mengyi (L) and his teammates of Shanghai win the men's 10 meter air pistol team event at the China National Games in Tianjin, China, August 30, 2017. /VCG

"We focused on physical training during the winter training and this online competition proved it fruitful," said Li Jinsong, deputy director of the Shooting and Archery Management Center.

According to Li, the roster for Tokyo 2020, originally scheduled to be decided in February, will be finalized in May due to the coronavirus outbreak.

(With input from Xinhua)

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