China's Yi Siling wins air rifle title for first gold of the Games

China's world No 1 Yi Siling won the first gold of the London Olympics in the women's 10m air rifle competition at London's Royal Artillery Barracks on Saturday.

In a tense contest watched by International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge, Poland's Sylwia Bogacka took silver after a fierce battle for the top spot while Yu Dan of China clinched bronze. Yi, 23, who won the title at the 2010 world championships in Munich, had a total winning score of 502.9, 0.7 points ahead of Bogacka, on 502.2. Yu finished with 501.5.

Defending Olympic champion Katerina Emmons of the Czech Republic finished fourth. Yi, who was well off her own world record of 505.6, said it felt good to be the first gold medal winner of the 2012 Games. "It's very exciting. Very happy. I'm very grateful to China. And to my mother and father who I love very much," she said.u00a0