Chinese Olympic legend Wang Yifu is set to appear at the Olympic shooting range for the seventh straight time, may not be an athlete, but the leading coach of the supreme Chinese team, while the Russians stand in his way to another summit.
After winning his second Olympic gold medal in Athens 2004, Wang, one of the greatest marksmen both in China and worldwide, chose to face another challenge. He took charge of the Chinese shooting team of rifle and pistol at the beginning of the year.
Sun Shengwei, once head coach, took over the shotgun team.
"I will impart my experience to the young shooters, which is decisive in shooting competitions, especially at the premier event," said Wang.
It was a 10-pointer of his first shot at the new position. The Chinese shooting team of rifle and pistol shot down 19 gold medals in four World Cups and the World Cup Finals in 2005, in addition with eight Olympic quotas for 2008.
"It was the best ever seasonal achievement in Chinese shooting history," said Gao Zhidan, the top official of the sport.
However, Wang and his team have no reason to celebrate as their long-time rival shone ever brighter this year. Russia, the other super power of the world's shooting sport, won five golds out of 10 in the World Cup Finals in rifle and pistol and one in the shotgun finals while Chinese shooters claimed only three titles in rifle and pistol.
"The Russian veterans such as Mikhail Nestruev and Boris Kokorev are still tough," said Wang during the World Cup Finals in Munich in August.
"Their composure and rich experience make them the most dangerous rivals to the Chinese in the upcoming Beijing Olympics."
The 46-year-old Kokorev, 1996 Olympic champion in the men's 10m air pistol, won the 50m pistol in the tournament in Munich by winning a breathtaking shoot-off against China's Lin Zhongzai, 24.
Mikhail Nestruev, 36, double Olympic medal winner in 2004, held back Chinese veteran Tan Zongliang's challenge to be crowned in the men's 10m air pistol.
Wang, who beat Nestruev at the last shot in the men's 10m air pistol in Athens has proved himself to be a great shooter by wrapping six Olympic medals in six straight games. However, to be a successful coach is no easy task while the four golds in Athens made his job even tougher.
"We are now like standing on a high cliff, every step upward would be rough and every bit of incaution would cause a smashing falling," said Gao Zhidan.
Like Wang, Du Li also snatched the gold medal at the very last shot, from Russian markswoman Lioubov Galkina. Jia Zhanbo was luckily handed the gold of men's 50m rifle three positions by Matthew Emmons of the United States, who shot his last shot at the other's target by mistake. The only title without tough fight was the men's 10m air rifle where fresher Zhu Qinan and Li Jie finished one-two.
As for the two disciplines of women's pistol, where the Chinese have a tradition and won each in Atlanta and Sydney Olympics, it came out a blank of medal in Athens. What makes it more vexatious is that there is no evidence of refurbishment this year.
The 27-year-old Chen Ying, who finished fourth in 25m pistol in Athens, took the first place in the World Cup in Fort Benning and the World Cup Finals in Munich, both with modest scores. And these are the rare remarkable results in Chinese women's pistol of the year.
Nevertheless, as for the prospect of the Russian team which was dimmed by the Chinese in Athens, in the next Olympics in Beijing, Nestruev once replied, "it will be hard, because we will be the guest and they are the host."
Yet being a host is a two-edged sword for the Chinese. "In the Olympic history, the hosts seldom do well in shooting," said Gao.
Being the head coach does not necessarily means Wang will hang up his gun. "I will get back and shoot for the minimum qualification score in 2006," said Wang Yifu. "Then I still have an opportunity to shoot at the Olympics."