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Rio de Janeiro, a city that makes dreams come true, has seen six countries and regions realize their dream of winning an Olympic gold medal for the first time. With the games reaching the halfway mark, let's check out some touching stories behind these amazing achievements.
Fiji: National ball makes history
Fijians called a halt to work and schools closed to celebrate the country's first-ever Olympic medal- gold for the men's rugby sevens team, who beat Great Britain 43 points to seven in Rio.
The win was rare good news for this impoverished South Pacific nation of 900,000, which is less than the population of one district of Beijing.
The country has participated in 14 Summer Olympics and 3 Winter Olympics previously without winning any metals.
Rugby is very popular in Fiji and is regarded as the "national ball," and it finally made a history this summer.
Fiji team with their gold medals during the medal ceremony for the Men's Rugby Sevens at Deodoro Stadium on August 11, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo/VCG
Singapore: Stunning Phelps, Joseph Schooling wins 100 meters butterfly
In just one performance, Singapore's Joseph Schooling beat swimming great Michael Phelps, took home his city state's first Olympic gold medal and became an instant millionaire.
Schooling, 21, finished the 100 meters butterfly final in an Olympic record time of 50.39 seconds, ahead of his childhood idol Michael Phelps, South Africa's Chad le Clos and Hungary's Laszlo Cseh who all finished in 51.14 seconds for a joint silver.
Known at home for smashing national records and winning multiple titles in regional competitions, Schooling carried the hopes of Singapore, an island nation of less than six million, which has only won two silvers and two bronzes since it joined the Olympic fold in 1948.
Joseph Schooling of Singapore poses with his gold medal on August 12, 2016 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Photo/Agencies
Vietnam: Veteran Hoang Xuan Vinh wins gold overcoming tough conditions
The 41-year-old veteran Hoang Xuan Vinh won the first-ever Olympic gold medal for Vietnam after claiming the men's 10m air pistol event in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
"I'm happy that I won the first Olympic gold for Vietnam," said Vinh after the match. "It will be my life-time memory."
To overcome that psychological shortcoming, Vinh resorted to another secret. For one year, he practiced only one simple posture over and over -- standing still, making no single moves, saying no single words for two consecutive hours.
Besides the psychological hurdle, Vinh has to overcome another obstacle related to Vietnam's limited budget for sports training. Each day, the marksman is allocated only 100 bullets for practice, one-fifth of the bullets his foreign peers receive.
Vinh took the last media shuttle bus back to the athletes' village after winning the medal as the Vietnam's Olympic Committee did not arrange a special pick-up service. Reporters did not realize they were riding with an Olympics champion until Vinh stepped off the bus, and they applauded loudly for Vinh.
Vietnamese state media reported that Vinh would receive $100,000 from the state on his return - a handsome sum in a country where the average annual income is around $2,100. The prize money will be paid in equal installments over 50 years, and Vinh will be 92 years old until then. The Vietnam government said the decision reflects the country's economic conditions.
Hoang Xuan Vinh of Vietnam holds his gold medal on August 6, 2016 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Photo/Agencies
Kosovo: Making debut with a bang at the Olympics
Majlinda Kelmendi made history by winning Kosovo's first Olympic Games gold medal in judo's women's 52kg final at Rio Olympics.
Kosovo is represented at an Olympic Games for the first time in Rio and Kelmendi gave Kosovo a moment to treasure by seeing off Odette Giuffrida of Italy in the final, scoring a yuko for her victory.
Kosovo makes its debut at the Rio Olympic Games, having been officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee in December 2014.
Kosovo therefore became the 100th delegation to win an Olympic gold medal.
"I'm so happy for me, for my coach, for all my country. This is the first time that Kosovo is part of the Olympics, and winning the gold on debut is huge," said Kelmendi.
"That means a lot. Many people, especially kids, look at me as a hero in Kosovo. I just proved to them that even after the war, if they want to be Olympic champions, they can be. Even if we come from a small, poor country."
Kosovo's judoka Majlinda Kelmendi shows her gold during a welcoming ceremony in Pristina on August 14, 2016. Photo/VCG
Puerto Rico：Monica Puig, the first Puerto Rican woman to win a medal
Monica Puig lifted Puerto Rico's first-ever Olympic gold medal after she clinched the women's singles title in the Rio Games tennis competition.
Puig also became the first female athlete representing the country to win a medal of any color at any Olympics after she beat Germany's world number two Angelique Kerber 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.
The world number 34, who has never reached a grand slam quarterfinal, sent Wimbledon runner-up Angelique Kerber running around the court as the crowd cheered her on.
The 22-year-old fell to the court and kissed it after sealing victory as fans yelled "Monica, Monica, Monica."
"It was the greatest moment of my life," Puig told reporters. "I wanted it so badly, I fought and my put my heart and soul on the court."
Gold medalist Monica Puig of Puerto Rico reacts after receiving her medal. Photo/Agencies
Fehaid Aldeehani: First stateless athlete to win gold medal
Kuwait's Fehaid Aldeehani, competing as an independent, captured men's double trap gold by defeating Italy's Marco Innocenti in the final match.
With Kuwait suspended by the IOC, Aldeehani and seven other athletes were allowed to compete as independents in Rio.
"The interests and future of Kuwait come first. This victory confirms that we deserve better," he said.
Although Aldeehani was not entitled to have the Kuwait national anthem played when he took to the podium, his victory led to a wave of euphoria in the Gulf state.
Fehaid Aldeehani of Independent Olympic Athlete poses with his gold medal on August 10, 2016 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Photo/Agencies
(CHINA DAILY)
