DPR Korean shooter Kim, who progressed steadily from the sixth place in the qualification round with 583 points, was dissatisfied with just a bronze, although his score in the final round, 99.0, was highest among all finalists.

"Even 10 bronze can't outweigh a gold," he said. "To be the gold medalist is a dream of every athlete."

Chinese Shi Xinglong, gold medalist at the Asian Shooting Championships who was ranked fifth at the start, made a hot pursuit at first and once surged to the third place. But he failed to hold his nerves and finished fifth.

"This is the first time for me to take part in such a big competition in China," said the soft-spoken 31-year-old, "I have some pressure as there are no other Chinese shooters with me fighting on the range."

Chinese Tan Zongliang and Pang Wei, who are supposed to compete in the discipline at the Olympics, collected 583 and 581 in the qualification round and didn't advance to the final.

"It is not a failure, I think," commented Shi Xinglong. "It's a kind of periodic adjustment."

Although he hasn't got a ticket into the Olympic Games, the shooter was confident for his teammates.

"I guess there should be two Chinese shooters in the final in the men's 10-meter air pistol, and one among the top three," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 14, 2008)