All that glitters on Gold Coast is Veloso's gold
Shooter clinches Singapore's first gold medal after shoot-off with India's Ghosh
Just a few days ago, shooter Martina Veloso thought her chances of winning the women's 10m air rifle title were jeopardised due to a bout of food poisoning.
But yesterday, the 18-year-old showed that nothing could stop her as she whipped up a composed performance to secure the gold medal - which is also her first Commonwealth Games medal.
It was also Singapore's first gold medal at this year's Commonwealth Games.
In a phone interview, Veloso said: "I feel super happy. I've worked so hard towards the Games and I'm so glad that has paid off.
"I had food poisoning a few days ago, so I wasn't completely sure whether I could do it.
"One thing I made sure of was that I gave my all and fought till the very last shot."
And Veloso did just that.
She led for majority of the elimination stage, with India's Mehuli Ghosh and defending champion Apurvi Chandela trailing closely behind.
With the three of them left standing, Chandela bowed out of the competition on 225.3 points after she fired a 9.9 and 9.4 .
GAMES RECORD
In the final two shots, Ghosh cancelled Veloso's 0.8-point lead over her by shooting a 10.3 and 10.9 to tie with the Singaporean for a Games record of 247.2 and force a sudden-death shoot-off.
Veloso needed just one shot to seal the win. She shot a 10.3 over Ghosh's 9.9 to pip the Indian to the gold medal.
Upon realising that she had won, she could not contain her joy.
This was a moment that had been four years in the making.
At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Veloso had come in second in the preliminary rounds.
But she could not replicate that in the final, where nerves got the better of her.
She ended up fifth in the event.
But she made sure that history would not repeat itself yesterday.
She kept her cool throughout the final as she shot her way to the top.
On managing the pressure, she said: "I was just telling myself to focus and breathe.
"I had a couple of bad shots, so I was pretty shocked that I was leading. But I never gave up and gave my all."
Veloso will take part in the women's 50m rifle prone and women's 50m rifle 3-positions on Thursday and Friday respectively.
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