Paris 2024: Sharpshooter Xiu Hong ready for more after strong Olympic debut

By Patrick Johnston

Shooter Teh Xiu Hong showed she can compete with the sport’s elite after narrowly missing out on a place in the Olympic final of the women’s 25 metre pistol on Friday.

The 30-year-old was making her Olympic debut in Paris after the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) reallocated a Universality Place to the Singapore Olympic Committee in June this year.

The double SEA Games gold medallist showed she was fully deserving of the opportunity, registering a total score of 583 from the precision and rapid rounds to finish 12th overall at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre.

“Deep down I know I’m a good shooter and somehow I know I can do it, it’s just a matter of time,” she told reporters. Because I’m always so close, it keeps pushing me every time.

“In the last one-and-a-half months, there was a lot of improvement. I learnt so much, during training, it really went very well.”

Xiu Hong prepares to shoot during the women’s 25 metre pistol qualifying at the Paris Olympics. Photo: Sport Singapore/Andy Chua

Xiu Hong was holding the eighth and last qualifying place for the final for long periods of the second rapid session only for the later shooters to just nudge ahead. 

She hit 20 10s from 30 shots in her rapid session and 23 out of 30 in the precision. Her total was just two points off the required mark to make the final.

Still, Xiu Hong was pleased with her performance.

“I did pretty well in precision and my precision was something I’ve been struggling with for a long time,” she noted. 

“I knew I had the chance to go into finals, that added a little bit of pressure going into rapid. It’s something for me to reflect on.”

Xiu Hong focuses on the target as she prepares to shoot during the women’s 25 metre pistol qualifying at the Paris Olympics. Photo: Sport Singapore/Andy Chua

Xiu Hong also took part in the women’s 10 metre air pistol on July 27th, finishing 32nd overall.

She said her Olympic experience had made her: "excited for my future competitions."

Xiu Hong was Singapore’s only participant at shooting across the Paris Games. Her performance extended Singapore’s run of having a shooter at every Olympics since the 1998 Games in Seoul, South Korea.

Teh Xiu Hong (right) smiles as she talks to coach Lee Dohee during the women’s 25 metre pistol qualifying at the Paris Olympics. Photo: Sport Singapore/Andy Chua

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games takes place in Paris, France from 26 July to 11 August 2024. For the latest Team Singapore coverage and news, follow Team Singapore on their social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) or visit the official Team Singapore website.