The 33-year-old, a silver medallist at the European Games, missed one target compared to her opponent's two to ensure she took home gold, sparking emotional scenes among the Italian contingent at the Olympic Shooting Centre.

In the other event to be held today, Henri Junghaenel of Germany maintained his nation's rush of medals on day seven of the Olympic Games by topping the podium in the men's 50 metres rifle prone competition.

Bacosi booked her spot in the gold medal match by qualifying second in the semi-final as she again hit 15 out of the 16 targets, while Caineiro laid down a marker by shooting perfectly.

But she wasn't able to replicate that display in the final as she missed with her first and fourth shots, with compatriot Bacosi failing just once.

The bronze medal contest between Kimberly Rhode of the United States and China's Wei Ming proved to be a nail-biting affair as it went to a shoot-off, with both athletes managing 100 per cent records.

The match threatened to go on long into the night as they continually hit target after target before eventually the pressure told on Wei, who missed with her seventh shot following Rhode's successful effort.

"To tell the truth, it was the family that paid the hard price, because I have a kid and it’s really hard to concentrate on a sports competition and family," Bacosi said.

"Beside the sport, in life we are very close friends and it was an emotion, a great feeling to fight against her but also a struggling feeling. 

"But I’m very proud to have beaten another medalist.”

Bacosi's triumph was a hard-fought affair but the success for 28-year-old German Junghaenel was anything but as he led from start to finish to seal the gold medal.

He finished with a score of 209.5 points - a final Olympic record - to upset Kim Jonhyun of South Korea, who was forced to settle for another silver after he also came second in the 50m rifle three positions four years ago in London.

Kim recorded 208.2 as he needed a shoot-off with Russia’s first time Olympian Kirill Grigorian, who went away with bronze.

"It’s overwhelming, especially after I missed the last Olympic Games by just a very little, so I already accomplished everything with standing here in the final," said Junghaenel.