South Korean Jin Jong Oh (R) scored 660.4 points to win the men's 50m pistol gold medal at the Olympic Games here on Tuesday. [Xinhua]

Jin Jong Oh from South Korea surged up in the men's 50-meter pistol final, winning the Olympic gold at the Beijing Shooting Range Hall on Tuesday with 660.4 points.

The silver medal was gained by Kim Jong Su, 31, from DPR Korea with 660.2 points while Chinese veteran shooter Tan Zongliang received a bronze with 659.5 points.

The competition was full of suspension.

Jin, the 29-year-old Athens silver medalist, shared the same qualification score of 563 points with four other shooters, including Kim from DPR Korea who won a bronze at Athens. In front of them was Chinese four-time Olympian Tan with 565.

In the first shot of the final, Tan stunned spectators with a 7.9, losing his advantage and dropped to the second. Leading position was taken up by Jin who made a 10.3, highest among all finalists.

In the second shot, Jin maintained his momentum to score a 10.5, while Tan further plunged to the fourth with a 9.2.

The third shot saw Tan regaining his sharpness a little bit to make a 10.2. He rose to the third but was still 1.3 points behind the leading Jin.

Amid expectation of Chinese spectators who applauded to encourage him, Tan unfortunately made an 8.1 in the fourth shot and fell to the fifth.

Jin was no better than him. With an 8.5, he swooped to the third. Pavol Kopp from Slovakia progressed to the first and Oleg Omelchuk from Ukraine went to the second.

In the following five shots, both Jin and Tan mustered up their strength to regain their positions as No. 1 and No. 2.

Before the last shot, there was a 1.9-point gap between the duo.

The South Korean shooter seemed to be out of gear in the last shot. His score, an 8.2, incurred regretful hiss.

Tan, the 2002 and 2006 World Championships gold medalist, had his chance. If he could score a 10.2, he would be the champion.

The 37-year-old raised his gun. Spectators held their breath.

He fired. A 9.2.

With the score, he not only lost the chance to be crowned, but surrendered his second place to Kim.

However, this was the first Olympic medal for the veteran shooter.

"I am quite happy to get my first Olympic medal finally," Tan said. "I have tried my best."

Then he added emotionally, "I've trained for 23 years, 16 of which I spent on the national team. This time I felt myself closest to the gold."

"It's a little embarrassing and harsh that I only got a bronze," he continued. "But if this Olympics is my last, this medal could wrap up my shooting career. I am satisfied with myself. I have no regrets."

Talking about his first bad shot, he said, "I had been in a hurry. But on the whole, my control was OK."

Kim appeared unhappy about the result.

"I made every effort to get the gold, but it was a silver. I will continue to compete with everybody to get the gold, and keep doing my best."

Like destined, Jin and Kim had been tied together in many competitions.

At the Athens Olympics, the pair won silver and bronze respectively in the event.

On this past Saturday, they were runner-up and third in the men's 10-meter air pistol discipline.

This time Jin said, "I am very happy to get this gold medal. I am happy to get it with Kim. He is a good shooter, but I am luckier."

Jin has caught a cold and was coughing from time to time at the qualification round.

"Sorry to shooters around me," he said, adding that coughing helped him to relax.

The champion was dissatisfied with his preliminary performance. "But the coach told me to relax and take it easy. Maybe that's the reason to get the gold."

Kopp and Omelchuk finished as sixth and fifth respectively.

Russian shooter, the hopeful Mikhail Nestruev, ranked 24th in the qualification with 552 points, out of the final. Another Chinese shooter Lin Zhongzai got a 555, also away from the final.