Yang Jiin, a 21-year-old shooter from the Republic of Korea, made headlines at the Paris Olympics 2024 as the youngest finalist in the 25m pistol event. Her remarkable performance saw her claim the gold medal after a dramatic shoot-off against French athlete Camille Jedrzejewski. The competition was intense, with both finalists displaying exceptional skill.
Earlier in the final, Yang Jiin had established herself as the leader, holding the top position from the second round onward. However, in the penultimate round, Jedrzejewski managed to catch up, leading to a tied score that necessitated a shoot-off to determine the winner.
In the decisive round, both athletes scored four out of five shots, which led to a high-pressure shoot-off. Yang Jiin outperformed her rival, hitting four out of five targets, while Jedrzejewski could only manage one hit. The moment was charged with tension as Yang Jiin appeared visibly shaken, while Jedrzejewski seemed to be struggling with her emotions.
The Chateauroux Shooting Centre was abuzz with excitement as the final unfolded, capturing the audience’s attention with its nail-biting conclusion. The bronze medal contest also added to the drama. Hungary's Veronika Major, who had set a world record of 40 in 2019, was locked in a fierce battle with Manu Bhaker of India for third place.
The two were tied at 28-28, which led to a shoot-off for the bronze medal. Major emerged victorious in a closely contested 4-3 shoot-off, denying Bhaker a chance to add another medal to her collection.
For Bhaker, the competition was bittersweet. Despite her disappointment, she could take pride in her achievements at the Paris Olympics. Bhaker made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a shooting medal at the Games, securing bronze in both the 10m air pistol mixed team event with Sarabjot Singh and individually.
Major’s success at Paris 2024 marked a historic moment for Hungary, as she became the first Hungarian shooter to win an Olympic medal since Diana Igaly's gold in the women’s skeet at Athens 2004. Yang Jiin’s victory added another chapter to her impressive career.
She had previously set world records at the Asian Championships in Jakarta and the Baku World Cup, though she was surpassed at Baku by her compatriot Kim Yeji, who set a new record of 42. Kim, however, did not qualify for the Paris final due to a malfunction during qualification.
Yang Jiin's triumph at Paris 2024 came despite the absence of other top competitors like Germany’s Doreen Vennekamp, who also failed to make the final cut.
The 20-year-old Chinese shooter Zhao Nan, a World Cup Final silver medallist, finished in fifth place, ahead of Haniyeh Rostamiyan of Iran and Katelyn Abeln of the United States.
Reflecting on her victory, Yang Jiin expressed her determination to continue her training and preparation for the next Olympic Games. “This gold medal has proved I am the world’s best right now,” she said. “I will have to train harder to try to put the flag highest once again in LA 2028 Olympic Games.”
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