Sporting Pistol (25 metres), Women

Mariya Grozdeva (BUL) was trying to become the first person to win the same shooting event three times consecutively at the Olympics. She qualified only fifth, trailing the leader, Gündegmaa Otryadyn of Mongolia, who was trying to win Mongolia’s first ever gold medal at the Olympics. Otryadyn had been third at the 2006 World Championships. But in the final round, she suffered a pistol malfunction near the end which cost her dearly. China’s Chen Ying was steady throughout the final round enabling her to win the gold medal, as Otryadyn dropped back to silver. Grozdeva did not quite have her best and placed fifth. Coming into Beijing, Mongolia held the distinction as the nation with the most Olympic medals, but having never won a gold medal. Thus Otryadyn’s silver was a disappointment, but they would eventually lose that distinction, as Mongolian men won two gold medals, one in boxing and one in judo. Mongolia ceded the “honor” to The Philippines, winner of two silver and seven bronze medals thru 2008, but not yet a gold.