Sports career:

Zhang started shooting training as a middle school student. She joined the Sichuan provincial shooting team in 1984 and the national team in 1989.

High Performances:

1989 World Clay-target Championships - 1st skeet individual & team
1990 World Championships - 1st skeet (WR)
1992 Barcelona Olympic Games - 1st skeet
1998 World Cup - 1st skeet

Honors:

Zhang Shan created a sensation in Barcelona by scoring 200 hits to equal the world record in the heats and 23 hits in 25 shots in the finals to become the first woman competitor to snatch the gold medal from men shooters, a fact noted in the pres the world over. She is the first and the last woman champion in this mixed event at the Olympic Games, as after the Barcelona Games, skeet shooting was competed separately by men and women contestants. Made a comeback in 1997 when the IOC decided to re-include this event at the Olympic Games. Earned China's first ticket in shooting to Sydney 2000 by winning the World Cup held in Cairo in 1998.