Cairo, Nov 13 (NationPress) Under the dazzling lights of a Cairo shooting range, Shing Ho Ching achieved a historic milestone for Hong Kong sports. The 31-year-old pistol shooter clinched a silver medal in the women's 10-meter air pistol final on Monday at the 2025 ISSF World Championships, marking Hong Kong's first-ever medal at this esteemed tournament.

"Just making the final was already a win," Shing expressed afterward, her smile reflecting disbelief. "This was beyond anything I expected."

The final unfolded like an intense drama, defined by composure and courage. Shing, recognized for her rapid pace, took the lead midway through the competition. "I'm almost always the first to finish," she joked, according to reports from Xinhua.

Her swift rhythm granted her a 0.8-point edge until the final two series, when the pressure mounted. China's 20-year-old Yao Qianxun surged forward with impressive shots of 10.6 and 10.7. In a split-second decision, Shing re-aimed her pistol after an unsatisfactory shot. "I saw the clock running down and got a little anxious," she recounted. "The first lift didn't feel right, so I started over. But that second attempt wasn't my usual action."

The result was an 8.6 - a shot she later termed "the difference." Yao secured gold with 243.0 points, Shing earned silver with 241.2, and Qian Wei from China took home bronze. Her coach, Chen Haohui, commended her resilience. "Today she showed real maturity," Chen said. "She stayed calm, even after that 8.6, and fought all the way. It was a significant mental breakthrough."

Shing's journey to this achievement was anything but easy. She began shooting at 15, the legal age for handling firearms in Hong Kong, after her mother enrolled her in a summer class "just to keep me busy."

Shortly thereafter, she was selected for the youth team and balanced training with school. After university, she made a pivotal decision. "Most of my friends went to work," she said. "But I told myself, maybe give it a year, see if I can make the [Tokyo] Olympics. That was years ago, and I'm still here."

The Olympic dream motivated her through near-misses. Shing missed qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Games and fell short of the 2024 Paris Olympics by one ranking place. "I wondered if I should continue for another four years. I was so close. It felt difficult to give up. So I told myself, let's see how it goes this time."

Training in Hong Kong can be a solitary endeavor. "I'm the only full-time shooter," she noted. "Usually, it’s just me and my coach."

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated that isolation. With Hong Kong's shooting ranges closed in 2021-22, she went months without touching a pistol. "I couldn't train. No facilities, no safe way to commute," she recalled.

A breakthrough came when she was offered an opportunity to train with the Chinese national team for three months in preparation for the postponed 2023 Asian Games - an experience that boosted her confidence.

Upon entering the national team camp, Shing immediately felt the skill gap. "I was so far behind," she admitted. "I hadn't trained properly in months. At first, I had no strength, no feel for the gun."

However, the "family" atmosphere significantly eased her transition. Training alongside Qian and Olympic champion Jiang Ranxin, she adapted to early mornings and split-day practice sessions.

"The biggest lesson wasn't technical," she remembered. "It was realizing the distance between me and the best wasn't as vast as I thought. That gave me confidence."

By the end of the camp, she had regained her rhythm - and friendships that flourished again in Cairo.

Facing the odds, Shing confessed, "Before the final, I was nervous. Yao and Qian chatted with me for a bit, and that helped calm me down. They're like old teammates now."

On Wednesday, Shing shared a group photo on social media with Jiang, Qian, and Yao, stating: "I truly must thank everyone who has taught me, helped me, and supported me throughout my shooting journey."

Shing now looks ahead to the next Olympic cycle, her determination unwavering. "I'm older than most of them - some are ten years younger," she said. "But that also means I'm steadier. I've learned how to manage pressure."

As she stood on the podium, the silver medal shining under the lights, she allowed herself a broad smile. "Shooting is like a game," she said. "Every match presents a new puzzle - knowing when to stay calm and when to fight back. I love solving it."