Jin shatters 34-year-old world shooting record

Sharpshooter Jin Jong-oh poses Tuesday with the medals he earned at the 2014 International Shooting Sport Federation’s (ISSF) World Championship in Granada, Spain. Jin shattered the 34-year-old world record in the men’s 50m pistol shooting competition, bagging his first individual gold medal in the world championships. / Yonhap

By Kwon Ji-youn

Three-time Olympic champion Jin Jong-oh shattered the 34-year-old world record in the men’s 50m pistol shooting Tuesday, bagging his first individual gold medal in the world championships.

During the 2014 International Shooting Sport Federation’s (ISSF) World Championship in Granada, Spain, the sharpshooter scored 583 points, bettering the previous record of 581 points by Alexander Melentiev of the now-defunct Soviet Union set in 1980. Along with the gold, the 34-year-old was awarded an Olympic quota place for Rio 2016.

“Winning the World Championship title is a great achievement for me,” Jin said. “And I am happy to be the first Korean shooter to win a quota place for Rio 2016.”

Jin, widely considered the No. 1 favorite at the upcoming Incheon Asian Games, also holds the world record in the 10m air pistol event.

The final was closely contested.

Jin remained in second place until the 16th shot, when he fired a 9.7 to outshoot China’s Pang Wei.

He held on for the rest of the final to finish with 192.3 points over 20 shots, just 1.2 points ahead of Indian shooter Jitu Rai.

Jin, one of the country’s most decorated shooters, also contributed to the Korean team’s second-place finish in the 50m pistol team event. He is set to return to Korea on Sept. 14 to prepare for the Asiad, slated for Sept. 19 to Oct. 4. This year, he is determined to add an elusive Asiad individual gold to his medal collection.

Despite appearing in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Asian Games, Jin boasts Asiad golds only in pistol team events _ he settled for silver in the 50m event at the Guangzhou Asian Games and bronzes in the 10m air pistol events at the 2002 Busan and 2006 Doha Games.

“Winning an individual gold medal at the Asian Games has been particularly difficult for me,” Jin said at a news conference in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, on Aug. 26. “This year’s Games are especially burdensome, as they are being held in Korea, but I am determined to transform that burden into fun by winning the gold.”

Jin rose to fame when he brought home the country’s first Olympic pistol medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. He won a silver in the men’s 50m event.

At Beijing in 2008, he snagged his first Olympic gold in the same event, and added a silver medal in the 10m air pistol event.

Four years later in London, he defended his gold in the 50m pistol, and was crowned champion in the 10m air pistol.