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A straight shooter wins first medal for Emirates
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-08-18 08:50

Sheik Ahmed al-Maktoum entered the Olympic record books as the first-ever medalist from the United Arab Emirates, easily winning the gold in men's double-trap shooting on Tuesday.

Maktoum scored 189 points, matching the total that Mark Russell of Australia reached in Sydney in 2000. The 40-year-old Maktoum had the rest of the field playing for silver in the final round, finishing 10 shots ahead of Rajyavardhan Rathore of India.

Wang Zheng of China won the bronze with a 178.

Maktoum led by six shots after setting another Olympic record with 144 points in qualifying. Russell had 143 in 2000.

Rathore, an Indian Army major, won his country's first-ever individual Olympic silver medal.

Maktoum is a member of Dubai's governing Maktoum family and a former national squash champion.

"This is our first medal, and it's a gold medal also," said Ibrahim Abdulmalik Ahli, head of the Emirates' national Olympic committee. "We entered Olympic history through the main gate. It could take us to a new vision of UAE sport."

Maktoum set a world record-equaling standard until, with the title effectively in the bag and a comfortable lead to cushion him, his aim wavered.

He missed one target and then more as errors crept in, his achievement seemingly playing on his mind. But the competition came to a conclusion with Maktoum hugging his coach and being wrapped in his national flag.

"It was his day, we couldn't catch him," said Rathore of India. "He was absolutely far ahead."

Rathore entered the final stages in fifth place but closed everything out of his mind to get a medal.



 
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