Olympic Shooting Sports

Shooting sports have been part of the Olympics since the modern Olympic Games began in 1896 in Athens. That year shooters competed in two rifle and three pistol events. By 2000, in Sydney, shooting sports had grown to include 17 events in four Olympic disciplines: rifle, pistol, running target and shotgun. Participation has grown, too. While only four nations competed in the shooting events in 1896, 411 shooters from 103 different nations participated at the 2000 Sydney Games.

In order for a shooter to compete in the Olympics, he or she must shoot a minimum qualification score for their event at one of the International Shooting Sports Federation's supervised championships held during the four years between Olympiads. The International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) is recognized as the world governing body for shooting.

USA Shooting is the organization responsible for training and selecting the shooting teams to represent the United States at World Cup events, World Shooting Championships, Pan American Games, Olympic Games and other international shooting competitions. In addition, USA Shooting manages development programs and sanctions events at local, state, regional and national levels, including the national shooting championships.

Find out more about Olympic shooting from USA Shooting or International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF).