In the qualifier, each shooter fired 60 shots with an air rifle at 10 metres distance from the standing position.

China's Zhu Qinan stunned the entire worldwide audience as he came from nowhere to snatch the Olympic gold in air rifle shooting, smashing a new world record of 702.7 points.

Zhu also enjoyed his teammate Li Jie taking home the silver medal with 702.7, as the Chinese marksmen led the medal haul in a blistering 1–2 finish.

[2][3] Slovakia's world number one Jozef Gönci came up with a steady feat in the final to claim the bronze on 697.4 points.

Earlier in the prelims, Zhu set a junior world standard to grab the top seed in the six-man final, just one point short of the perfect grade 600 that had been successfully recorded by Thailand's Tevarit Majchacheeap in 2000.