Over 40 years since Xu Haifeng, a fertiliser salesman, won China's first Olympic gold medal in shooting sport, he could not have predicted the impact his victory in the 50m pistol would have on his nation.
After all, he was China's first-ever Olympic champion. Now, the country regularly challenges the United States at the top of the medal table at the Games. His achievement came back at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games, and fittingly, China's dedication to the sport still shines through as the Olympic Movement gets ready to return to California for LA28.
Stars continue to be produced regularly, and this season sees more major contenders, giving selectors a difficult job to select from a high-quality field. Another test for the squad will be performing well at the ISSF World Cup in Ningbo, with the ISSF World Championships Rifle/Pistol coming to Cairo in November. A home soil win could consolidate that spot on the plane to Egypt.
There has been a trio of Chinese shooters who remain undefeated during the 2025 ISSF World Cup season, who will look to claim a clean sweep ahead of the ISSF World Cup Final in Doha, Qatar.
Most impressive of these has been Sun Yujie in the women's 25m pistol. Just turned 21, she had waited patiently for her opportunity on the international stage, only making her debut at the ISSF Junior World Championships in 2024, where she won bronze in the women's 10m air pistol.
On her ISSF World Cup debut, she claimed the gold medal in Buenos Aires - and in commanding style, winning by three to Esha Singh of India. Another top-quality Indian athlete, Simranpreet Kaur Brar, finished runner-up too in Lima later that month. However, the most impressive performance saw her defeat the Olympic pistol champions Oh Ye-jin and Yang Ji-in of the Republic of Korea in Munich - a sign that she could defeat anyone in the world.
After all, he was China's first-ever Olympic champion. Now, the country regularly challenges the United States at the top of the medal table at the Games. His achievement came back at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games, and fittingly, China's dedication to the sport still shines through as the Olympic Movement gets ready to return to California for LA28.
Stars continue to be produced regularly, and this season sees more major contenders, giving selectors a difficult job to select from a high-quality field. Another test for the squad will be performing well at the ISSF World Cup in Ningbo, with the ISSF World Championships Rifle/Pistol coming to Cairo in November. A home soil win could consolidate that spot on the plane to Egypt.
There has been a trio of Chinese shooters who remain undefeated during the 2025 ISSF World Cup season, who will look to claim a clean sweep ahead of the ISSF World Cup Final in Doha, Qatar.
Most impressive of these has been Sun Yujie in the women's 25m pistol. Just turned 21, she had waited patiently for her opportunity on the international stage, only making her debut at the ISSF Junior World Championships in 2024, where she won bronze in the women's 10m air pistol.
On her ISSF World Cup debut, she claimed the gold medal in Buenos Aires - and in commanding style, winning by three to Esha Singh of India. Another top-quality Indian athlete, Simranpreet Kaur Brar, finished runner-up too in Lima later that month. However, the most impressive performance saw her defeat the Olympic pistol champions Oh Ye-jin and Yang Ji-in of the Republic of Korea in Munich - a sign that she could defeat anyone in the world.
Hu Kai has been unstoppable in the men's 10m air pistol eventHu Kai turned up in Buenos Aires a changed athlete. His last ISSF World Cup appearances came in 2023, with a best finish of 16th in Las Palmas. Aside from a mixed team bronze medal, success had not yet come the way of the 23-year-old.
Yet, he was superb in the South American double-header - first leading from start to finish in Argentina, and then showing incredible form in the elimination stage in Lima to win commandingly over Felipe Almeida Wu of Brazil. Despite a scare from Valeriy Rakhimzhan from Kazakhstan and Germany's Christian Reitz in Munich, Hu regained his lead to keep his winning run going in the men's 10m air pistol.
Of the three, Wang Zifei has provided the most drama. Her ability to keep the Korean Kwon Eun-ji at bay in Buenos Aires was the calmest of the victories in the women's 10m air rifle. She followed up this maiden victory with a world record of 254.8 in Lima, to obliterate the field. It was a fantastic event for China, as Han Jiayu and Fan Xinyi joining her on the podium. The Wang-Kwon rivalry reignited in Munich, but it was also a test of nerves for the teenager.
Wang was one of five athletes separated by 0.3 points, with one of them to be eliminated. In fact, she trailed India's Elavenil Valarivan until the final three. To top off an eventful final, she held Kwon off by 0.1 points for a well-earned gold.
Yet, he was superb in the South American double-header - first leading from start to finish in Argentina, and then showing incredible form in the elimination stage in Lima to win commandingly over Felipe Almeida Wu of Brazil. Despite a scare from Valeriy Rakhimzhan from Kazakhstan and Germany's Christian Reitz in Munich, Hu regained his lead to keep his winning run going in the men's 10m air pistol.
Of the three, Wang Zifei has provided the most drama. Her ability to keep the Korean Kwon Eun-ji at bay in Buenos Aires was the calmest of the victories in the women's 10m air rifle. She followed up this maiden victory with a world record of 254.8 in Lima, to obliterate the field. It was a fantastic event for China, as Han Jiayu and Fan Xinyi joining her on the podium. The Wang-Kwon rivalry reignited in Munich, but it was also a test of nerves for the teenager.
Wang was one of five athletes separated by 0.3 points, with one of them to be eliminated. In fact, she trailed India's Elavenil Valarivan until the final three. To top off an eventful final, she held Kwon off by 0.1 points for a well-earned gold.
Wang Zifei is also undefeated this ISSF World Cup seasonWhile these are emerging stars, Sheng Lihao has been here before. Already with three individual World Cups to his name, he won two Olympic gold medals and a World Cup Final title to close out 2024. This year, the form continues. Sheng won the men's 10m air rifle gold in Lima, followed by a bronze medal in Munich.
While there are several athletes worth keeping an eye on, it will be interesting to see if the trio of Qian Wei, Jiang Ranxin and Qianxun Yao can break through in the women's 10m air pistol. Qian and Jiang were runner-up to the undefeated Suruchi Singh of India, back in Buenos Aires, while Qianxun has been third twice now.
And others will look to recapture their form. Xie Yu impressed at Paris 2024 in the men's 10m air pistol, but has not made the podium so far this season. That does not indicate poor form though. In fact, Xie has finished fifth twice and ninth in the season opener.
Plenty of opportunities will be there for these athletes with a home crowd behind them and plenty at stake on the line. Will we see the undefeated athletes remain that way, or will an upset come from elsewhere?
While there are several athletes worth keeping an eye on, it will be interesting to see if the trio of Qian Wei, Jiang Ranxin and Qianxun Yao can break through in the women's 10m air pistol. Qian and Jiang were runner-up to the undefeated Suruchi Singh of India, back in Buenos Aires, while Qianxun has been third twice now.
And others will look to recapture their form. Xie Yu impressed at Paris 2024 in the men's 10m air pistol, but has not made the podium so far this season. That does not indicate poor form though. In fact, Xie has finished fifth twice and ninth in the season opener.
Plenty of opportunities will be there for these athletes with a home crowd behind them and plenty at stake on the line. Will we see the undefeated athletes remain that way, or will an upset come from elsewhere?