The Australian Shooting team is a seasoned group of athletes with extensive experience across the three shooting disciplines. The 10 athletes are entering the Paris 2024 Olympic Games following multiple World Cup finals and medal successes this year, eager to secure a place on the podium in Châteauroux.
Overview
The Shooting competition commences on Saturday 27 July 2024 at the French National Shooting Sports Centre in Châteauroux (270 km south of Paris). Opened in 2018, this range is one of the largest international shooting facilities, hosting national, European, and world championships in pistol, rifle, and shotgun disciplines.
This Olympic Team includes Dane Sampson (rifle), who is entering his fifth consecutive Olympic Games; Joshua Bell (shotgun), who is making his Olympic debut; and world-ranked number two James Willett, competing in his third consecutive Games.
The athletes bring diverse backgrounds, including a surgeon, carpenter, engineer, and university student, highlighting the variety within this group.
Aislin Jones and Joshua will team up for the Australian Shooting Team’s Olympic debut in the Mixed Skeet Teams event.
Ones to Watch
Rio 2016 Olympic champion Catherine Skinner (Women’s Trap) returns for her second Olympics. She won bronze at the World Cup in Lonato in June and is currently ranked 15th in the world.
Tokyo 2020 Women’s Trap finalist Penny Smith returns for her second Olympics. Ranked 11th in the world, Penny won World Cup silver in Baku in May and gold and bronze in World Cups in 2023.
Current world number two Men’s Trap shooter James returns for his third consecutive Olympic Games. James is a world record holder in his event, with recent World Cup medals including gold and bronze in 2024 and bronze and silver in 2023.
Mitch Iles returns for his second Olympic Games after making his debut in Rio. Mitch won his first World Cup silver medal as a Junior in 2019 and senior World Cup bronze and Grand Prix silver in 2022.
Jack Rossiter holds Oceania and Australian records and will compete in his third Olympic Games in the 10m Air Rifle and 50m three Positions Rifle events. Jack has made World Cup finals this year and won a Grand Prix silver medal in 2023.
Sergei Evglevski, following in his mother’s footsteps (a six-time Olympian), will compete in the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event in his second Olympic Games. Sergei won a World Cup silver medal in 2023.
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The most senior member of the Australian Shooting Team, rifle shooter Dane, returns for his fourth consecutive Olympics to compete in the 50m three Positions and 10m Air Rifle events.
Returning for her third consecutive Olympics, pistol shooter Elena Galiabovitch will compete in the 25m Pistol and 10m Air Pistol events. Elena carried the IOC flag in the opening ceremony in Tokyo.
The youngest member of the Australian Shooting Team, Aislin, debuted in Rio as one of the youngest athletes on the entire Australian Olympic Team. She returns for her second Games, competing in the Women’s Skeet and Mixed Skeet Teams events with Joshua.
Making his Olympic debut, Men’s Skeet athlete Joshua will compete in the individual Men’s Skeet event and the Mixed Skeet Teams event with Aislin.
Sport Format
10m Air Rifle Men
- No. of Shots in Qualification: 60 shots in a time limit of 75 min
- Athletes Advance to Final: 8 athletes
- No. of Shots in Final: Up to 24 shots
In the qualification round, athletes shoot 60 shots to advance to the finals. Positioned 10 meters from the target, athletes aim with specialized air rifles. The finals feature two series of five shots before a single-shot elimination process, culminating in a thrilling battle for the gold medal.
50m Rifle 3 Positions Men
- No. of Shots in Qualification: 60 shots (20 in each position) in a time limit of 90 min
- Athletes Advance to Final: 8 athletes
- No. of Shots in Final: Up to 45 shots
The 50m Rifle three Positions Men’s discipline assesses skill, endurance, and mental fortitude. Athletes use .22 long rifle caliber rifles, aiming at targets 50 meters away. The event requires mastery of kneeling, prone, and standing positions. After 120 shots in qualification, the top eight advance to the finals, featuring a series of rounds in various positions to determine the medal winners.
10m Air Pistol Women
- No. of Shots in Qualification: 60 shots in a time limit of 75 min
- Athletes Advance to Final: 8 athletes
- No. of Shots in Final: Up to 24 shots
Athletes showcase precision with 60 shots in qualification, narrowing down to the top eight finalists. Equipped with air pistols, they aim at targets 10 meters away. The finals consist of two series of five shots before a single-shot elimination process. Shoot-offs resolve ties, with 24 shots deciding the winner
25m Pistol Women
- No. of Shots in Qualification: 60 shots (2 stages of 30 shots each)
- Athletes Advance to Final: 8 athletes
- No. of Shots in Final: Up to 50 shots
The 25m Pistol Women’s event requires precision and speed. Athletes shoot from 25 meters within a brief three-second timeframe. Qualification includes precision and rapid fire stages, totalling 60 shots. The top eight advance to the finals, consisting of rapid fire only. Athletes have three seconds per shot with a seven-second interval between triggers. The finals feature 10 series of five shots each, with elimination starting after the fourth series. Ties are resolved through shoot-offs.
25m Rapid Fire Men
- No. of Shots in Qualification: 60 shots (2 stages of 30 shots each)
- Athletes Advance to Final: 6 athletes
- No. of Shots in Final: Up to 40 shots
Athletes use .22 caliber sport pistols to fire at targets 25 meters away. Qualification involves a series of four, six, and eight seconds, with the final six facing a challenging four-second series. The final includes eight series, with elimination starting after the fourth series. Shoot-offs resolve ties.
Trap Men / Women
- No. of Shots in Qualification: 125 targets (5 rounds of 25 targets each)
- Athletes Advance to Final: 6 athletes
- No. of Shots in Final: Up to 50 targets
Athletes use 12-gauge shotguns to shoot clay targets ejected at varying angles and heights. They shoot 125 targets in the qualification round and up to 50 in the final. The final six undergo elimination after shooting 25 targets, continuing every five shots until only two remain.
Skeet Men / Women
- No. of Shots in Qualification: 125 targets (5 rounds of 25 targets each)
- Athletes Advance to Final: 6 athletes
- No. of Shots in Final: Up to 60 targets
Athletes shoot clay targets released from two houses. Qualification includes 125 targets from eight stations, with the top six advancing to the final, featuring 60 additional targets from three stations. The final includes elimination after shooting 20 targets, continuing every 10 targets until only two remain.
Competition Schedule
Competition will commence Saturday 27 July 8:30pm AEST.