American soldier Vincent Hancock retained his Olympic skeet crown yesterday after a flawless display in the final as the US drew level with China in the battle for supremacy on the shooting ranges.

Under heavy grey skies in London the US Army sergeant hit all 25 targets in the final, slamming the door on his rivals and setting a new Olympic record of 148.

Denmark’s Anders Golding took silver with 146 hits while Nasser al-Attiyah, of Qatar, showed no signs of nerves during a shoot-off for the bronze medal with Russia’s Valeriy Shomin, achieving his first podium finish in five Olympics.

The US now have two shooting golds in London, level with powerhouse China, who topped the medals table in the sport on home soil in Beijing with five golds.

South Korea and Romania have one gold apiece.

Hancock’s win at the Royal Artillery Barracks meant a US skeet double after Kim Rhode won the women’s title, equalling the world record in the process.

Hancock became the first two-time winner of the event.

Professional rally driver Al-Attiyah, who won last year’s Dakar Rally, was mobbed by members of the Qatar Olympic entourage after holding his nerve to win bronze in the shoot-off.

“I’ve been in the final twice and in Athens (2004) I had a shoot-off for bronze and I lost. But here when I was in the shoot-off I remembered that day and I said ‘OK, I will do my best to finish third’,” he said.