MADRID, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Reigning world champions Wang Zifei and Sheng Lihao gave China a strong start to the new season by winning the 10m air rifle mixed team title at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Granada, Spain, on Tuesday.

The World Cup marks China's first international appearance since the ISSF introduced revised rifle clothing regulations, reducing stiffness tolerances, along with a new mixed team final format featuring four pairs competing for gold instead of two.

Both Chinese pairs, Wang/Sheng and World Cup debutants Zhang Qianying and Ma Sihan, advanced to the final in second and fourth place, respectively.

In a closely contested final, Wang and Sheng recovered from a slow start to take a 0.3-point lead over Hungary's Eszter Denes and Istvan Marton Peni before the elimination stage. However, the Chinese duo found itself trailing by 0.3 points after compatriots Zhang/Ma and qualification leaders Jeanette Hegg Duestad and Jon-Hermann Hegg were eliminated in succession.

With three shots remaining, two-time Olympic champion Sheng delivered a decisive 10.9, combining with Wang's steady shooting to regain the lead. They sealed victory with a total of 504.3 points, ahead of Denes and Peni on 502.9.

Earlier, in the 10m air pistol mixed team event, reigning world champions Yao Qianxun and Hu Kai topped qualification with 586 points, but were unable to overcome India's Palak Palak and Mukesh Nelavalli in the final.

The Indian pair built a 4.3-point lead before the elimination stage and secured the title with 487.7 points, aided by an average of nearly 10.2 points from Nelavalli. Yao and Hu took silver with 484.8 points, while Hungary's Veronica Major and Akos Karoly Nagy claimed bronze with 414.9.

The World Cup in Granada will run through Sunday, with the men's 10m air pistol final scheduled for Wednesday. ■