Rio 2016: United States secure first gold medal of the Olympic Games as Virginia Thrasher wins 10m air rifle

Thrasher beat former Olympic champions Du Li and Yi Siling of China

Virginia Thrasher won the first gold medal at the 2016 Olympics in the 10m air rifle shooting (Getty)

American teenager Virginia Thrasher won the first gold medal of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on Saturday, holding her nerve against two Chinese Olympic champions to clinch the women's 10m air rifle event.

The 19-year-old American edged out China's Du Li, gold in Athens in 2004, with an Olympic-record score of 208. Defending Olympic champion Yi Siling, also of China, took the bronze medal.

Thrasher was awarded the first gold of the Games by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach.

Competing in her first Olympics, Thrasher established an early lead after battling with the Russian shooter Daria Vdovina, who stumbled midway through the competition and finished fifth.

Results

1. Virginia Thrasher (U.S.) 208.0 points

2. Du Li (China) 207.0

3. Yi Siling (China) 185.4

4. Barbara Engleder (Germany) 165.0

5. Daria Vdovina (Russia) 143.5

6. Elaheh Ahmadi (Iran) 122.5

7. Snjezana Pejcic (Croatia) 102.0

8. Sarah Scherer (U.S.) 78.6

Reuters