Sheng Lihao and Wang Zifei defended their 10-meter air rifle mixed team title at the ISSF World Championships in Doha on Wednesday as China completed a one-two finish at the event which was held in the capital city of Qatar. 

The pair scored 506.1 points in the final, finishing 1.7 points ahead of fellow Chinese compatriots Du Yuchen and Zhang Changhong. Ban Hyo-jin and Park Ha-jun of the Republic of Korea (ROK) took bronze with 440.1 points.

The ROK duo had topped qualification with 634.4 points, ahead of Sheng and Wang in second and Du and Zhang in third.

Sheng and Wang took the lead after the opening 10 shots and remained in front throughout the final. Du and Zhang briefly reduced the deficit, but the eventual winners responded strongly to secure gold.

The victory marked Sheng's third consecutive mixed team world title, following his 2023 triumph alongside Huang Yuting in Baku and another with Wang in Cairo last year.

It was also the 21-year-old's second gold in two days after winning his first individual men's 10m air rifle world championship on Tuesday.

Asked whether retaining the title had brought additional pressure, a calm Sheng said that this is not the case.

Wang expressed her determination to improve further.

"I look forward to continuing to improve and achieving better results. I hope to become a better version of myself in every competition," she said.

In the men's 25m rapid fire pistol final, Germany's Florian Peter took gold with 33 hits, narrowly beating France's Clement Bessaguet by one hit. Bessaguet's compatriot Jean Quiquampoix earned bronze with 26 hits.

Peter's victory also secured Germany a quota place for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, while France and the Czech Republic earned quota places through Bessaguet and fifth-place finisher Matej Rampula.

The championships will move to the men's and women's 10m air pistol finals on Thursday.