Zhang Shan looks to regain glory in London

Nearly twenty years after winning a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992, Chinese markswoman Zhang Shan is competing against the youngsters, looking to win a berth for the London Olympics. The 43-year-old Zhang has proved that age is not a problem, winning a world cup champion last March and the team trophy with the Chinese national squad at the world championships. "Of course I want to win the Olympic champion again after 20 years," said Zhang, who is also a coach of the Chinese national team. But she will face tough challenges from the young shooters in the women's skeet event including Wei Ning, Zhang Donglian, Yu Xiumin and Xie Qing. Wei, silver medalist at the Athens Olympics, has already qualified for London after winning the silvers at the last two world championships. Zhang Donglian has also showed fine form in the season, winning the world cup champion in Slovenia and finishing third in the world cup finals. In the Barcelona Games in 1992, Zhang Shand became the first woman in the Olympic history to win the mixed skeet title. She is also the first Asian to break Europeans and Americans' domination in the Olympic shotgun shooting in which a total of 70 medals have been awarded since the second Olympics in 1900. Zhang competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games but was eliminated in the qualifying round. She tried but failed to qualify for the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. Zhang never questioned her decision to continue shooting. "I kept shooting for quite a long time because I love shooting very much. As long as I try my best, the result is just not that important," Zhang said. Already a mother shooter, Zhang was definitely having a hard time of it while training and competing in shooting. "How much longer do I shoot? It's not a question. Shooting is my life and I will continue," Zhang said. "I never call it quits," Zhang talked about the prospect of competing in the London Games, "If you see an old lady stand in the arena and train very hard sometime in future, that would be me."