340 shots to Olympic gold

A friend recently asked me, how do you get to the Olympics (in shooting)? I hope this post will answer that, if in an not really helpful manner.

To get on an Olympic team, you have to on the National team. Team trials is the nationals. So, you go to compete at the nationals. You will shoot the course of fire twice, that's 60x2 or 120 shots. Then you shoot finals, no problem, you just shot 120 tens in a row, so 10 more in finals is easy. After 130 shots, you've earned a spot on the National team.

Next is to earn a quota spot for your country, and you can do that at World Cups (there are 4 each year), or at continental championships like the CAT Games (championships of the Americas tournament) and the Pan Am Games. The last two are only held once every 4 years (like the Olympics). So, you go and compete at a World Cup, shoot your 60 shot match with all 10s, and enter finals with a world record. Once there you shoot another 10 shots, and win the world cup, and thus securing a quota spot for the Olympic games. So far so good, you've fired 200 shots so far. But wait, the quota belongs to the country. You have to compete against your fellow national team mates for it.

No problem. They probably are a little terrified. So you enter a quota selection match. Shoot 60 shots plus 10 shot finals, and voila, the quota spot is yours to keep. At 270 shots fired, you've earned your Olympic ticket.

Now you are at the big show. Lights and cameras everywhere. You do some press interviews, sign some autographs, and enter the Olympic range for your match. As with before, 60 shot match, all tens, and 10 shot finals, nothing but 10s.

Congratulations! You have done it! In 340 shots, you've gone from world unknown to Olympic gold medalist! Not to mention setting numerous records in the process. Give yourself a hand and go celebrate with some ice cream!

The above is assuming you are shooting an Olympic event with 60 shots per match, something like men's air pistol, or 50m pistol, etc. Certain other events may have more or less shots required. Women's 10m air pistol can be won in as few as 240 shots. Women's 25m pistols requires a few more, 380 shots, since finals in sport pistol are 20 shots.