American Nancy Johnson Snatches First Sydney Gold
September 16, 2000 3:25 am EST

By Andrew Gray
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Shooter Nancy Johnson of the United States claimed the
first gold medal of the Sydney Games Saturday, winning the 10 meter air
rifle event with her final shot after a little help from her husband.

The 26-year-old, who resurrected her sporting career after being told as
a teen-ager that she would never shoot again following nerve damage,
scored 497.7.

Seventeen-year-old Kang Cho-Hyun of South Korea, who qualified for the
final in first place and led until Johnson came through at the finish,
scored 497.5 to win silver.

Gao Jing of China finished strongly to claim the bronze medal with
497.2., while world champion and event favorite Sonia Pfeilschifter of
Germany slumped to fifth.

Johnson, from the town of Downers Grove in Illinois, attributed her
success to her decision to miss the Olympic opening ceremony — as well
as to some timely advice from her husband.

The American had intended to march in Friday’s spectacular ceremony but
took her team leader advice to rest instead.

“He said you can march in an opening ceremony all you want but a medal
round your neck’s gonna change your life forever,” said Johnson, who
watched some of the event from the stands.

Johnson had still begun poorly in Saturday’s qualifying round before her
husband Ken intervened.

“He told me I was swaying and I needed to check my position,” recalled
Johnson, who said that the diagnosis, confirmed by her coach, put her
head “back on straight.”

Johnson, a horticulture graduate who works in the gardening department of
a home improvements store, said winning the first gold of the games was
“pretty cool.”

In the day’s other final, Frenchman Frank Dumoulin won the men’s 10 meter
air pistol and set a new Olympic record with a score of 688.9.

Dumoulin clawed his way back after a poor first shot in the final to take
the gold from Wang Yifu of China, who scored 686.9. Wang had also won the
silver in Atlanta four years ago.

Igor Basinksy of Belarus took bronze with 682.7.