The 33-year-old ended on a total of 458.6 points to finish ahead of Chinese duo Zhang Binbin and Du Li, who claimed the silver and bronze medal respectively at the Olympic Shooting Centre.

The Chinese duo's success meant it was only the second time that two shooters from the same country were together on a podium in this event, following Russia at Sydney 2000.

Du, gold medallist at London 2012, also joins Poland's Renata Mauer-Rozanska with a record two Olympic medals in this event.

For Engleder, it is the first medal at the fourth attempt in Olympic competition and the first for her country since Ralf Schumann claimed gold in Athens 2004.

Engleder dominated the final, topping the leaderboard after every round but one in a steely performance that could have been filled with nerves following disappointment at three previous Olympic Games.

She finished in sixth place at London 2012, ninth in Beijing and seventh at Athens and must have questioned whether this day would ever arrive.

"It's unbelievable, really it is - I can't breathe anymore right now," the German said.

Soon after leaving the podium, Engleder announced she would be retiring from Olympic competition. 

"That means so much to me because I'm quitting after that right now. 

"I'm the queen of everything."

China's Zhang Binbin claimed she wasn't expecting to win a medal at the start of the competition. 

"This is a surprise for me today," she said. 

"Thank you very much to all the friends and family who support me, and I'm very happy.

"The Olympics is the biggest stage and I'm very happy to get one of the highest honours, although it is still a little bit pitiful that I only get the silver, but I'm still very excited. 

"I am satisfied."

Shooting events at Rio 2016 continue tomorrow with the men's 50m prone and women's skeet competitions.