US teenager Virginia Thrasher wins first gold of Rio 2016
The 19-year-old claimed the first Rio Olympics gold medal with her final shot in the 10m air rifle competition, seeing off the reigning champion.
For New York native Virginia Thrasher this was a dream Olympic debut after only taking up the sport of shooting four years ago.
The 19-year-old claimed the first Rio Olympics gold medal with her final shot in the shooting on Saturday, winning the women's 10m air rifle title at the Deodoro shooting venue by holding her nerve to see off China's Du Li into second place.
Thrasher finished with 208 points, one clear of 2004 Athens champion Du. The bronze medal went to China's defending champion Yi Siling.
Olympic chief Thomas Bach looked on in the crowd as the first of 12 gold medals in play on a crammed opening day was awarded. There are more than 300 titles on offer over the next fortnight at the 2016 Olympics.
Thrasher claimed gold just 11 hours after Brazilian marathon runner Vanderlei Cordeiro lit the Olympic cauldron at the climax of Friday's spectacular opening ceremony.
An absorbing competition was led briefly by Daria Vdovina, one of the Russian contingent competing in Rio in the shadow of the massive doping scandal that has dogged the Games build-up. She eventually slipped off the pace to finish fifth.
Yi was bang in contention to successfully defend her 2012 crown but sharp shooting saw Thrasher and Du go head to head, with the American, displaying maturity beyond her years, edging it on the final shot.
Surprise absentees from the final were Serbian duo Andrea Arsovic and Ivana Maksomovic, both rated major threats but who misfired in qualifying.