Since gunpowder has been as a propellant, guns have been used for fighting and hunting. Shooting as a sport, as opposed to pastime, dates back to the late 1700s when the pistol started replacing the sword in duelling. From that time, continuous technological developments improved the efficiency and accuracy of firearms and the first shooting competitions were held in the mid 1800s. Pierre de Coubertin was a champion shooter as a young man and it is no surprise that the sport was included in the program for Athens in 1896.

Shooting has appeared on every Olympic program except St Louis 1904 and Amsterdam 1928. The number and variety of events have changed many times over the Olympiads.

Olympic shooting has seen many interesting competitors. Walter Winans of the United States, the winner of the running deer (double-shot) gold medal in London in 1908, also won in the sculpture category of the Olympic Art competition in Stockholm 1912. Oscar Swahn of Sweden was almost 73 years old when he won a silver medal as part of the Swedish running deer team at the Antwerp Games in 1920. Swahn is still the oldest Olympic medallist, and indeed competitor. Philip Neame, a member of the victorious British running deer team in Paris in 1924, won a Victoria Cross in World War I.

From Mexico City 1968, women started competing with men in a number of Olympic shooting events. The first woman medallist was Margaret Murdock from the United States in the small-bore rifle (three positions) at Montreal 1976. Murdock finished second to countryman Lenny Bassham after a count-back. A limited number of women’s events were first included at Los Angeles 1984. Until Barcelona 1992, women were still permitted to compete in those events that were not included in their program. From Atlanta 1996, the Olympic shooting program has been segregated.

Olympic shooting now consists of 15 events across the four disciplines of rifle, pistol, running target and shotgun.

Australia’s first medallist in shooting was Donald MacKintosh at Paris 1900. He won the game shooting event and finished third in the live pigeon shooting. There was considerable confusion in Paris about what events were included in the Olympic program and who was competing and who wasn’t. As a result, MacKintosh’s feats took many years to be acknowledged. For almost 90 years it was thought that the game shooting was an archery event.

It was a long time before Australia next won a shooting medal. Patti Dench, at 52 years of age, won a bronze in the inaugural women’s sport pistol at Los Angeles 1984. Dench was the oldest medallist of all the competitors in Los Angeles. Atlanta 1996 saw the end of an almost century-long wait for Australia’s second gold medal in shooting. Michael Diamond won the trap and Russell Mark won the double trap three days later. Deserie Huddleston won a bronze medal in the women’s double trap.

Four years later in Sydney, Diamond repeated his previous victory in the trap. Mark finished second, after a shoot-off with the eventual winner, in the double trap. Annemarie Forder added to the women’s tally of Olympic medals by finishing third in the air pistol.

At Athens 2004, Suzie Balogh, in the women’s trap, became the first Australian woman to win a gold medal in Olympic shooting. Adam Vella won a bronze medal in the men’s trap.

Trap (125 targets) men
Shooters fire from five adjacent shooting stations. At each station, the targets are thrown one at a time from an underground bunker. The men’s match consists of 150 targets, shot over two days, 75 on the first day and 50 the second day. Then the top six contest a final series of 25 shots.

Trap (75 targets) women
Same as the men’s competition, except the women shoot three rounds of 25 targets for a total of 75. Then the top six contest a final series of 25 shots. 

Double trap (120 targets) men
Competitors fire from five adjacent shooting stations. At each station, the targets are thrown two at a time from an underground bunker. Men shoot three rounds of 50 on one day at 150 targets. Then the top six contest a final series of 50 shots.

Skeet (125 targets) men
Targets are released from separate towers (high and low). The high tower is 3.05 metres above ground and the low target is 1.05 metres above ground. Each one is on either side of the range. Sometimes one skeet is thrown up whilst other times two.

Shooters move through a semi-circular range featuring eight shooting stations.

The men’s match consists of 125 targets, shot in five rounds of 25 over two days. Three rounds are fired on day one, two rounds plus the final are shot on day two.

Skeet (75 targets) women
Like the men’s competition, but the women’s match consists of 75 targets, shot in three rounds on one day plus final.

50m rifle 3 positions (3x40 shots) men
Shooters fires 40 shots each in prone (time limit 45 minutes), standing (time limit 75 minutes) and kneeling position (time limit 60 minutes) at target 50 metres away. Prior to the first competition shot, any number of sighting shots may be fired.

50m rifle 3 positions (3x20 shots) women
Aiming at a target 50 metres away, 20 shots are fired each in the prone, standing and kneeling position. Time limit is 135 minutes.

50m rifle prone (60 shots) men
Sixty shots are fired in the prone position in 75 minutes at a target 50 metres away. Prior to the first competition shot, any number of sighting shots may be fired.

10m air rifle (60 shots) men
Shots fired in the standing position at a distance of 10m. Men shoot 60 shots in 105 mins.

10m air rifle (40 shots) women
Shots are fired in the standing position at a distance of 10m. Women complete 40 shots in a maximum 75mins.

10m air pistol (60 shots) men
Shooters fire from the standing position at targets 10m away. Men fire 60 competition shots in 105mins.

10m air pistol (40 shots) women
Shooters fire from the standing position at targets 10m away. 40 shots must be fired within 75mins at electronic targets.

25m rapid fire pistol (60 shot) men
There are two rounds of 30 shots each: one round consists of two series of five shots fired in 8 seconds; two series of five shots fired in six seconds and two series of five shots fired in four seconds at a distance of 25 metres.

25m pistol (30+30 shot) women
At a 25m distance six series of five precision shots must be completed in five minutes each and six series of five rapid shots must be completed in 3 seconds each.

50m pistol (60 shots) men
Within 120 minutes, any number of sighting shots plus 60 competition shots are fired at a target 50 metres away.

• Quota to trap
• Last woman standing
• Second shot at Games
• Potent score qualifies spot
• Australian shooters fire up
• 2007 AYOF sport by sport wrap