In the span of just a few hours yesterday at the Asian Shooting Championship in Doha, Tessa Neo hit two milestones for Singapore.
By qualifying for the women's 10m air rifle final in Qatar, she had secured a Tokyo 2020 quota spot for Singapore, the country's first in the discipline based on merit.
She then registered a second historic feat by claiming a silver medal, the first time the Republic had finished on the podium in that event at the Asian Championship.
Neo told The Straits Times last night: "After knowing we got the quota, I was feeling motivated to try my best to win something for the team and for Singapore.
"At the moment, it hasn't completely sunk in. I just feel extremely thankful.
"I'm glad all the hard work, advice and support my coach has given me has come to some fruition. I hope the win will motivate the team to bring home more."
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu congratulated the athlete in a Facebook post yesterday and added: "We share your joy and are very proud of you."
Neo, 21, had squeezed into the final, her score of 627.9 just enough to take the eighth and final spot narrowly ahead of Indian Anjum Moudgil (627.6).
With the top seven competitors having already secured their Olympic places, it meant the Republic is guaranteed an entry for next year's Summer Games.
Neo initially struggled in the final and was in last place after the first competition stage and in danger of being the first shooter to be eliminated. But from the second stage, she suddenly found her range.
She said: "I just kept telling myself to focus on my shot. And that there's nothing to lose."
Over her next 14 shots, her lowest score was 10.4 (10.9 was the highest) as she steadily climbed the standings and narrowed the gap with China's Yang Qian, who held a 2.3 point lead over Neo after the first stage.
That margin was just 0.5 before the duo took their final shot. Neo shot 10.7 to Yang's 10.4 to finish runner-up with a score of 251.4 while the Chinese ended on 251.6. South Korean Jung Eun-hea was third with 228.9 points.
The Olympic quota spot, however, does not automatically qualify Neo for next year's Tokyo Games, as the final decision on who should represent the country lies with the Singapore Shooting Association and Singapore National Olympic Council.
At the previous Games in Rio, Brazil, it was Neo's cousin, Jasmine Ser, who earned a spot after finishing first in a women's 50m three-positions event at the Asian qualifying event in New Delhi.
Neo had won the women's individual 10m air rifle and team 10m air rifle events at the 2015 SEA Games, but will not be taking part in this year's biennial Games in the Philippines.
