2023 European Championships 10m: Preview, schedule, and how to watch pistol and rifle shooting stars in Paris 2024 Olympic qualifier

Eight tickets to the Paris 2024 Olympics in the sport of shooting are on offer at the 2023 European Championships 10m that are taking place between 5th and 12th March in Tallinn, Estonia.

The event begins with the competitions for the junior shooters, before the seniors start their campaigns on Friday 10th March and conclude on Sunday 12th March.

There will be four Olympic quota places available to be won in air pistol shooting, and four in air rifle competitions.

Read on to find out more about the Paris 2024 Qualifier discisplines, and how to watch the action live.

The Paris 2024 Olympic qualification spots on offer at the 2023 European Championships 10m in rifle and pistol shooting

The 2023 European Championships 10m are a key event on the Road To Paris, as a direct Paris 2024 Qualifier with eight Olympic spots on offer. Two berths are available in each of these four events:

• Men’s 10m Air Rifle (AR M),
• Women’s 10m Air Rifle (AR W),
• Men's Air Pistol (AP M),
• Women's Air Pistol (AP W).

The top two athletes in each will each earn spots for their nation at the next edition of the Olympic Games in Paris, provided the athletes are not from the same country. One nation can only win a single qualification place in each event at one championship.

In addition to the direct quota spots, shooters can earn ranking points (QROG) at the European Championships which count towards qualification for the next Olympics.

The 2023 European Championships also feature team events with mixed gender, men's team, and women's team competitions in both the rifle and pistol, however these do not offer direct Paris 2024 qualification spots.

When and where are the 2023 European Championships 10m taking place?

For seniors, the action begins on 10 March 2023. The competition concludes on 12 March.

The Championships take place at Saku Suurhall, and The Ring Sport and Spa Center in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia in northern Europe.

2023 European Championships 10m in rifle and pistol shooting: Athletes to watch

There will be 126 male and 126 female rifle shooters competing at the 2023 European Championships, while the pistol events feature 86 men and 86 women. Several Olympic medallists are set to be among them.

Rio 2016 Olympic 25m Pistol champion Anna Korakaki is the world record holder, world champion, and Olympic bronze medallist in the women's 10m Air Pistol competition. The Greek athlete holds the distinction of being the first-ever woman to be the originating Olympic athlete torchbearer at an Olympic torch relay.

Nina Christen of Switzerland is another Olympic champion eligible to compete. Christen won two medals at Tokyo 2020 in 2021, including gold in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions and bronze in the 10m Air Rifle. She also won silver in 10m Air Rifle at the 2019 European Games in Minsk.

British hopes could be on Seonaid McIntosh, who is a world and European champion at the 50m distances, but recently won the 10m Air Rifle ISSF World Cup event in Cairo at the start of 2023.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medallist Damir Mikec is a highly decorated shooter and would be one to watch in the men's air pistol competition.

2023 European Championships 10m schedule including Paris 2024 qualifying finals

All times Eastern European Time / EET (GMT +2 hours), which is the local time in host city Tallinn. Senior finals highlighted in bold.

Sunday 5 March 2023

• Unofficial training, equipment control.

Monday 6 March 2023

• Practice - Juniors.

Tuesday 7 March 2023

• Air Rifle Junior men, women, including finals.
• Air Pistol Junior mixed team, including final.

Wednesday 8 March 2023

• Air Pistol Junior men, women, including finals.
• Air Rifle Junior mixed team, including final.

Thursday 9 March 2023

• Air Pistol Junior men team, AP Junior women team, including finals.
• Air Rifle Junior men team, AR Junior women team, including finals.

Friday 10 March 2023

• 08:45 to 10:20 - Air Rifle Mixed team - Qualification hall
• 11:15 to 12:30 - Air Pistol Women - Qualification hall
• 13:15 to 14:30 - Air Pistol Men - Qualification hall
• 14:45 to 15:45 - Air Rifle Mixed Team Final - Final Hall
• 18:00 to 18:45 - Air Pistol Women Final - Final Hall - Two Paris 2024 Olympic quota berths available
• 19:45 to 20:30 - Air Pistol Men Final - Final Hall - Two Paris 2024 Olympic quota berths available

Saturday 11 March 2023

• 08:45 to 10:20 - Air Pistol Mixed Team - Qualification hall
• 11:15 to 12:30 - Air Rifle Women 1 - Qualification hall
• 13:30 to 14:45 - Air Rifle Men 1 & Women 2 - Qualification hall
• 15:30 to 16:30 - Air Pistol Mixed Team Final - Final Hall 
• 15:45 to 17:00 - Air Rifle Men 2 - Qualification hall
• 18:00 to 18:45 - Air Rifle Women Final - Final Hall - Two Paris 2024 Olympic quota berths available
• 19:45 to 20:30 - Air Rifle Men Final - Final Hall - Two Paris 2024 Olympic quota berths available

Sunday 12 March 2023

• 08:45 to 10:00 - Air Pistol Men Team - Qualification hall
• 10:30 to 11:45 - Air Pistol Women Team - Qualification hall
• 12:15 to 13:30 - Air Rifle Men Team - Qualification hall
• 13:00 to 14:00 - Air Pistol Men Team Final - Final Hall.
• 14:00 to 14:15 - Air Rifle Women Team - Qualification hall
• 15:00 to 16:00 - Air Pistol Women Team Final - Final Hall.
• 17:00 to 18:00 - Air Rifle Men Team Final - Final Hall.
• 19:00 to 20:00 - Air Rifle Women Team Final - Final Hall.
• Closing speech

A full schedule is available on the European Shooting Confederation (ESC) website.

How to watch the 2023 European Championships 10m and Olympic Qualifiers in rifle and pistol shooting

Action will be broadcast on the European Championships website and via the European Shooting Confederation (ESC) YouTube channel.