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Sunday, 28 July, 2002, 12:26 GMT 13:26 UK
Gold for NI marksmen
David Calvert and Martin Millar won Northern Ireland's first medal of the 2002 Commonwealth Games when they struck gold in the open full bore rifle pairs.
Calvert and Millar successfully defended the title at Bisley which they won in Kuala Lumpur four years ago.
The Northern Ireland duo won with a total of 590 points and just pipped second-placed South Africa (589) with England third (588).
Calvert, who won an individual title in 1994, has now equalled the great Mary Peters in winning three Commonwealth gold medals for Northern Ireland.
The 51-year-old RAF pilot also has three bronze medals.
The NI pair were second going into Sunday's action, but soon fell back to joint fourth alongside New Zealand after dropping points at the 900-metre target.
But their vast experience at this level saw them steady themselves over the 1000-metre target and only drop two more points to take gold.
"It's very exciting and we are delighted,'' said Belfast-born Calvert.
''It's always very close after the short-range rounds and these competitions are genuinely decided on the longer ranges.
''We were content to be in second place after the first day."
Co Down-born Millar was equally pleased after a poor start to the day.
"We were a bit disappointed with the 900-metre shoot when we dropped too many points but we picked it up,'' he said.
"It was quite tricky because of the wind. It was all down to firing really good shots and getting the wind right.
"It feels brilliant that Northern Ireland is now on the medal chart and that it's a gold medal."
In the Men's 50m rifle prone pairs final, Northern Ireland's Gary Duff and Alan Lewis were seventh.
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