Olympics: Jasmine Ser misses out on women's 10m air rifle final

Shooter Jasmine Ser of Singapore focusing before an attempt during the Rio2016 Olympic Games women's 10m air rifle event on Aug 6, 2016. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Shooter Jasmine Ser of Singapore speaking to her coach Kirill Ivanov after the Rio2016 Olympic Games women's 10m air rifle event on Aug 6, 2016. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

Rio de Janeiro - She was the athlete who had just missed out on a spot in the final, but the first thing Jasmine Ser did upon completing the 10m air rifle qualification round was assure others she was okay.

The shooter posted a 413.5 after four series on Saturday morning at the Olympic Shooting Centre, finishing in 25th place. She needed to be among the top eight to earn a spot in the final.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," she said as she met journalists immediately after her event. "I was ready, but I just made some technical mistakes at the start.

While she posted a couple of "big 10s" over the four series, several 9s set her back by too much in a world-class field where nothing short of a 415.9 was needed to make the final.

China's Du Li, in particular, was way ahead of the field as she set a new Olympic record of 420.7 to qualify tops for the final, also held on Saturday morning.

Said Ser's coach Kirill Ivanov: "If you look at the average scores (across the board), it's a little bit lower than the World Cup. The pressure at the Olympic Games is always a little bit more.

"Jasmine didn't have enough perfect control. We'll have to discuss about it."

Ser, who is competing in her second Olympics, cut a relaxed figure, despite admitting that she had not felt such intensity in competition since the London Games.

Said the 25-year-old, who will compete in her pet 50m 3 Positions event next Thursday (Aug 11): "This is like an opening for me. My focus is on the 50m. That's the event I'm looking forward to."

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