Xu Haifeng：“Gold Athlete” and “Gold  Coach”

 Xu Haifeng (front) takes the gold medal in individual free pistol at the 23rd Olympic  Games in Los Angeles, on July 29, 1984. This was China’s first Olympic gold medal,  breaking China’s “zero record” in Olympic gold medals

Xu Haifeng，born on  August 1, 1957 in Fujian  Province，is a former  Chinese shooter. On July  29, 1984, Xu Haifeng took  the gold medal in individual  free pistol 60 shots at the  23rd Olympic Games, which  were held in Los Angeles.  Xu’s win was China’s first  Olympic gold medal, breaking China’s “zero record” in  Olympic gold medals. From shooting birds  with a sling when he was little to winning the Olympic  gold, Xu Haifeng has always  been an ambitious sharpshooter. Through years of  strict, self-disciplined practice, the determined Xu  trained himself to become  a real crack shot despite  the lack of professional  regular training. In 1982,  Xu enrolled in the Anhui  provincial shooting team,  and two years later in 1984,  the marksman started his  sports career on the national team. A self-trained world  champion, the first gold  winner of the 23rd Olympic  Games, China’s first Olympic  gold medal winner, coach  of two Olympic gold medal  winners, creator of the  country’s history of Olympic  golds — Xu has many  accolades and will be remembered as a sports hero.  True to his nicknames of  “Gold Athlete” and “Gold  Coach,” he is a legend who  will never fade.