Shooter Nino Salukvadze makes history with ninth Olympic Games qualification

Three-time Olympic medal-winning shooter Nino Salukvadze has made history by becoming the first woman athlete to qualify for nine Summer Olympics after earning her spot for the 2020 Tokyo Games on Thursday.

Salukvadze, who has claimed all three types of medals in Olympic Games she has participated in, claimed her place at next year’s event by finishing fifth at the Rifle/Pistol World Cup in Beijing.

The Georgian athlete competed in Women’s 10m Air Pistol section, finishing behind Greece’s Anna Korakaki and ahead of Anudari Tsolmonbaatar of Mongolia.

Salukvadze, 50, won gold and silver medals on her debut at the 1988 Seoul Games, before also earning a bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She took part in all Summer Olympics between the two competitions.

The Georgian Olympian also became the first mother to compete on the same team as her son, when Georgia’s roster for the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro featured her alongside Tsotne Machavariani.

The record ninth Summer Olympic Games puts Salukvadze ahead of rower Lesley Thompson and canoeist Josefa Idem, who entered eight competitions apiece for Canada and Italy respectively.

The 2020 Summer Olympic Games will run in Tokyo between July 24-August 9.