New format triggers sharper shooting

China's Zhu Qinan acknowledges the crowd during Sunday's rifle 50m 3 positions final. [Photo/Agencies]

A new format has transformed Olympic shooting events from stifling conformity to do-or-die showdowns that challenge competitors while entertaining the fans.

As China's Zhu Qinan held his rifle steady and focused on his decisive 41st shot during the men's 50m 3 positions final on Sunday, the song Personal Jesus blared out of speakers around the hall and the crowd clapped to the rhythm.

Zhu, a veteran known for his composure on the big stage, fired despite the noise and scored 9.8 points on his target. The crowd booed as he was eliminated from the five-shot knockout stage.

After the first elimination shot, Zhu finished sixth to end his fourth Olympic campaign.

Italy's Niccolo Campriani edged Sergey Kamenskiy of Russia to win the event after the fifth shot.

Thanks to the new format, similar dramas unfolded almost daily at the Olympic Shooting Center.

The International Shooting Sport Federation introduced the format after the 2012 London Games in order to generate more entertainment for spectators and television viewers.

It features an elimination final in which competitors start from zero, without including their qualification scores.

The athlete with the lowest aggregate score is eliminated after each one or two shots - depending on different disciplines.

The final ends with duels between the two remaining shooters to determine the medals after the final shot.

Competitors previously squeezed off all their shots in a final with rankings decided by aggregate scores from the preliminary and final stages.

Under the new format, music is also allowed to be played, and spectators are encouraged to respond.

Although shooters have competed under this format at other events since 2013, it was making its debut at the Rio Olympics.

"Yes, the pressure of being eliminated more or less affected me because you can't help thinking that you won't have another shot if you miss the one you're taking," said Zhu, who won gold in the 10m air rifle at the 2004 Athens Games.

During the women's final in the same event, three-time Olympian Du Li bowed out after scoring 8.6 points with the penultimate shot as she faced elimination as the lowest-ranked of three finalists.

Eventual winner Barbara Engleder of Germany fired a subpar 9-point shot with her last round, only to outrank young Chinese shooter Zhang Binbin with a slightly higher final aggregate score.

"I was trying to hold my nerve like crazy. This is a very new and challenging experience for all of us," Engleder said.

But what appears to be a tough grind for the shooters has been thrilling the crowds.

"Shooting used to be a little bit boring as everybody was so quiet and just focused all the way through to the end to find out where they finished," said Gabriel McAdams, a spectator visiting from Chicago.

"Now it's way more exciting as it seems like a shootout between cowboys in the wild west."

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn