The following year, although still a junior, he opted to participate in the open class of the European Championships in 10 metre air pistol and helped the Russian team to a gold medal and a new world record, also breaking the junior world record of Kanstantsin Lukashyk in the qualification round.

He then proceeded to defeat teammates Mikhail Nestruyev and Vladimir Isakov in the final, to top a Russian triple victory and win his first international senior title.

[1] Yekimov made his Olympic debut in the air pistol competition in Beijing in 2008, and finished sixth.

He was also chosen as Sergei Alifirenko's replacement in the rapid fire pistol competition, when Alifirenko, who won gold in Sydney and bronze in Athens, had to withdraw.

Although not a renowned rapid fire shooter, Yekimov has won a national competition in the event and when attaining his minimum qualification score for the Olympics, he reached a score of 586 in Munich, only five points behind the world record.