Shooting at the Olympics: GB team, rules, full list of events

Brits have a strong history of performing well in the shooting events, picking up two bronze medals at Rio 2016 and a gold at London 2012.

RadioTimes.com bring you everything you need to know about how shooting will work at the Olympics 2020, and where our best medal chances lie.

When is shooting at the Olympics?

Shooting runs between Friday 23rd July until Monday 2nd August.

Medal finals will take place throughout the contest with numerous disciplines to settle the score in.

Check out our guide on how to watch Olympics 2020 or see Olympics on TV today for more details, timings, and exclusive expert analysis from some of the biggest names in world sport over the coming weeks.

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Olympic shooting rules

Shooting is one of the oldest Olympic sports, dating back to the Athens Games in 1896.

Shooters aim at a target using different kinds of guns (pistols, rifles and shotguns), attempting to get the bullet as close to the centre as possible.

It's harder than it sounds. The ring that will earn you the most points is tiny, boasting a 0.5mm diameter.

This is a sport that requires precision, concentration and a steady hand.

What shooting events are included at the Olympics?

There are three Olympic shooting disciplines, split into the three types of guns used in competition: pistol, rifle and shotgun. Shooters stand at different distances from the target in each of the events.

Men and women compete separately, other than in the new team events when mixed teams enter each discipline.

The mixed events are new for Tokyo 2020, as part of a push to promote gender equality in the sport.

Skeet and trap shooting are best compared to clay pigeon shooting – in both events, shooters aim at clay targets thrown up by machines. In trap there is just one machine, in skeet there are two.

There are medals up for grabs in the following events:

Pistol

• Men's 10m air pistol
• Men's 25m rapid fire pistol
• Women's 10m air pistol
• Women's 25m rapid fire pistol
• Team 10m air pistol

Rifle

• Men's 10m air rifle
• Men's 50m rifle three positions
• Women's 10m air rifle
• Women's 50m rifle three positions
• Team 10m air rifle

Shotgun

• Men's Skeet
• Men's Trap
• Women's Skeet
• Women's Trap
• Team Trap

Which Team GB athletes will compete in Olympic shooting?

Team GB is sending a team of five shooters, each hoping to perform well at the Games. Matthew Coward-Holley competes in the Men's trap and Kirsty Hegarty will take aim in the Women's trap. The two will join forces for the Mixed Trap team event.

Meanwhile, Aaron Heading will also shoot in the Men's trap, while Amber Hill competes in the Women's skeet and Seonaid McIntosh shoots in both the Women's 10 metre air rifle and the Women's 50 metre rifle three positions.

Four of the shooters are making their Olympic debut in Tokyo, with only Hill having competed before. Hill was part of Team GB at Rio 2016 at the age of just 18, and has since become world number one in her discipline. Fingers crossed that success translates to a medal this summer.

Read more – check out our comprehensive guides to the Olympic sports: Boxing | Diving | Judo | Rowing | Sailing | Tennis | Volleyball | Weightlifting

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