LONDON - China's Zhang Cuiping won the first gold medal of the London Paralympics as the Shooting got underway at the Royal Artillery Barracks on Thursday.
Zhang set a new world record in the women's R2-10 metres air rifle standing SH1 and the 24-year-old was a class above her rivals as she finished with 500.9 points, well clear of Germany's Manuela Schmermund in second with Australian Natalie Smith taking bronze.
Zhang set a new Paralympic record in qualifying with 396 points and she was equally accurate in the final with a 104.9 total.
Schmermund finished with 493.6 points and Smith 492.4.