Tokyo Olympics: Seonaid McIntosh struggles with heat as shooter misses out on first medal final
- Published
Seonaid McIntosh is still hopeful of a medal in her main event
Seonaid McIntosh says she does not think being Britain's first Olympic medal hope contributed to her missing out on the 10 metre air rifle final.
The 25-year-old Scot finished 12th of 50 starters, with eight qualifying for the final in Tokyo.
China's Yang Qian took gold at the Games' opening medal event.
"My sister was in the same position and it's not a thing you think about unless you let yourself," McIntosh said. "I don't think it was a factor."
McIntosh will return to the Asaka Shooting Range next weekend to contest her premier event - the 50 metre rifle three positions - as world number one.
"If you had have asked me a year ago, I would have said this was a sighter for the 50m, but in the last year, this event has got a lot better and I knew I was perfectly capable of winning a medal," she said.
"I don't really know about next week. I need to process this first and know what to take forward. It's a very different event and it is about keeping that fight."
No British female shooter has won an Olympic medal and Edinburgh-born McIntosh admitted that the early morning temperatures were a factor during more than an hour of competition.
"I am mostly happy with how I fought through it," she said. "And, while the last couple of shots weren't great, I am pleased with how I performed. I struggled a bit with fatigue and the heat.
"I just tried to focus on finding good shots and finishing the performance well. I didn't quite manage that, but I am really happy with the rest of the performance."
McIntosh has now emulated her sister, Jennifer, in competing at an Olympics and she will be among the medal favourites in her stronger discipline.
"I was really nervous to start with and then the nerves went down and then I was really tired," she added.
"I kind of went down again at the very end. I was really nervous for the last few shots. I was trying to keep it together, I guess."