Sheng Lihao claimed his 12th ISSF World Cup title — and his first on home soil — as China's Olympic champions delivered a commanding one-two finish in the men's 10-metre air rifle final at the ISSF World Cup Hangzhou on 22 July. Compatriot Zhang Changhong took silver, while Sweden's Victor Lindgren denied China a clean podium sweep.

Sheng Lihao's Dominant Display

Sheng, a two-time gold medallist at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, entered the final as the top qualifier with 637.5 points. The 21-year-old led from the first series and was never seriously threatened, eventually finishing with 253.9 points. 'This is a historic title for me. Competing at home made me feel very comfortable and at ease,' he said after the victory.

Zhang Changhong Takes Silver

Zhang Changhong, the Tokyo Olympic champion in the men's 50-metre rifle three positions, arrived in Hangzhou on the back of a gold medal at the previous World Cup stop. He narrowly advanced through qualification to the eight-man final but delivered a composed showing to finish with 252.4 points. 'Overall, I think I performed quite well. My qualification performance was a little below par today, and I didn't compete at the level I'm capable of,' Zhang said.

Lindgren Denies China a Podium Sweep

Sweden's Victor Lindgren edged China's Ma Sihan for the bronze medal by a razor-thin margin of 0.2 points, denying the host nation a clean sweep of the podium in the event.

World Records Fall in 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team

Earlier on 22 July, China's reigning world champions Yao Qianxun and Hu Kai shattered world records in both qualification and the final to win the 10-metre air pistol mixed team gold. The pair set a new qualification record of 591 points and then scored 488.4 points in the final, surpassing the previous world record of 487.7 set by India's Palak Palak and Mukesh Nelavalli in April. 'We didn't expect it at all; actually we didn't notice our results throughout the match,' Yao said, adding praise for her partner: 'We had a good performance today, especially my partner.'

Their compatriots Shen Yiyao and Bu Shuaihang — set to represent China at the upcoming 20th Asian Games — claimed silver with 485.7 points. South Korea's Kim Bo-mi and Hong Su-hyeon took bronze with 418.9 points, while the Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) pair of Angelina Ostashova and Anton Aristarkhov were eliminated first. 'We are glad to win a silver, and I feel we are getting better and better as a pair,' said Shen.

What's Next at Hangzhou

The ISSF World Cup Hangzhou runs through 28 July. Thursday's schedule features the women's 50-metre rifle three positions and the men's and women's skeet finals. China's early dominance sets a formidable tone heading into the remaining events.