The 29-year-old from Grand Rapids, Minnesota, the 2004 Olympic champion, won the bronze medal with a total score of 702.2 (598+104.2) points.

He had already won an ISSF World Championship medal in 2002, in Lahti, Finland, right before his success at the 2004 Games.

"It's great to be the one who grabbed the first Olympic quota for America," said Emmons, who had also won the silver medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

"Of course, I am not automatically qualified.

"The quota goes to the US shooting team, and all the American shooters are passing through a qualification system in order to decide who will go to the next Games."

The gold medal went to the 42-year old Belarusian shooter Sergei Martynov, who won his second consecutive World Championship title, securing an Olympic place, with a score of 703.9 (599+104.9) points 
 
He becomes first man to win two world championship medals in this event in the centenary history of the international shooting sport federation.

"I am used to win, and I am not too old to," said Martynov, the 2000 and 2004 Olympic bronze medallist.

France's Valerian Sauveplane claimed silver with a total score of 703.8 (599+104.8) points.

"The silver medal makes me happy of course," said Sauveplane.

"I have been looking for an Olympic pass throughout the last two Olympic cycles without getting one, so I know what’s the it’s value."


Related stories
August 2010: Slovakian becomes first woman to qualify for London 2012
July 2010: Italian becomes first athlete to qualify for London 2012