Olympic records in shooting events - gunning for glory

Since the inception of the modern Games in 1896, shooting events have been part of the Olympic programme in every edition barring 1904 and 1928.

Modern-day Olympic shooting can be divided into three broad categories depending on the type of gun -- rifle, pistol or shotgun -- used. Contestants shoot at stationary targets in the rifle and pistol events while shotgun events involve shooting at moving objects.

All three were on show at the Paris 2024 Olympics as well.

Mixed team events in rifle, pistol and trap were added to the Olympic program at Tokyo while three events - men’s-only rifle prone, free pistol and double trap events - were discontinued. At Paris 2024, mixed team trap was replaced with mixed team skeet.

As far as Olympic shooting records go, they are of two types - the Qualification Olympic Records or QOR (based on scores of the qualification rounds) and the Final Olympic Records, also abbreviated as just OR (based on scores in the final round).

Another thing to note is that the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) brought about wholesale changes in rules in almost all events after London 2012 and Rio 2016. Hence, most of the previous Olympic records were rewritten at Tokyo 2020.

Here’s a look at the Olympic shooting records.

Rifle shooting Olympic records

Men’s 10m air rifle - Qualification Olympic record

Yang Haoran (People's Republic of China) - 632.7 points at Tokyo 2020 Olympics (July 25, 2021)

Out of a possible 654 points in the qualification, Yang Haoran scored 632.7 points - 1.2 points more than second-placed Lucas Kozniesky (631.5) of USA - in the men’s 10m air rifle qualification round at Tokyo to establish the new record.

Men’s 10m Air rifle - Final Olympic record

Sheng Lihao (China) - 252.2 at Paris 2024 Olympics (July 29, 2024)

China's Sheng Lihao, who topped the qualifiers, shot 252.2 to win the gold medal in the event at Paris 2024, eclipsing American shooter Shaner William's 251.6 from Tokyo 2020.

Women’s 10m air rifle - Qualification Olympic record

Ban Hyojin (South Korea) - 634.5 at Paris 2024 Olympics (July 28, 2024)

South Korea's Ban Hyojin shattered the women's 10m air rifle Olympic qualification record with a score of 634.5 at Paris 2024. Incidentally, Norwegian shooter Jeanette Hegg Duestad, who finished second with 633.2, previously held the record with a score of 632.9 at Tokyo 2020.

Women’s 10m air rifle - Final Olympic record

Qian Yang (China) - 251.8 at Tokyo 2020 Olympics (July 24, 2021)/Huang Yuting (China) and Ban Hyojin (South Korea) - 251.8 at Paris 2024 Olympics (July 29, 2024)

Chinese shooter Qian Yang, who qualified for the finals in sixth place, set the new final record of 251.8 points and won the top honour. On the way, she defeated previous Olympic medallists Anastasiia Galashina and Nina Christen. Three years later, Huang Yuting and Ban Hyojin equalled the record.

Men’s 50m rifle 3 positions - Qualification Olympic record

Liu Yukun (China) - 594 at Paris 2024 Olympics (July 31, 2024)

Chinese shooter Liu Yukun blazed through the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions qualifiers at Paris 2024. He achieved scores of 199 in kneeling, 197 in prone and 198 in standing.

Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions - Final Olympic record

Zhang Changhong (China) - 466.0 at Tokyo 2020 Olympics (August 2, 2021)

Zhang Changhong built the lead in the kneeling and prone positions ahead of the elimination stage in the standing position. The Chinese shooter was able to thwart the late surge by two-time world champion Sergey Kamenskiy to win the gold. Changhong not only set the new Olympic record but broke the world record.

Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions - Qualification Olympic record

Sagen Maddalena (USA)/Zhang Qiongyue (China) - 593 at Paris 2024 Olympics (July 31, 2024)

American shooter Sagen Maddalena and China's Zhang Qiongyue were level at 593 in the qualifying round of Paris 2024. However, it was Maddalena who finished at the top of the charts courtesy of having 45x compared to 40x.

Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions - Final Olympic record

Chiara Leone (Switzerland) - 464.4 at Paris 2024 Olympics (August 2, 2024)

Chiara Leone won gold at Paris 2024 with a score of 464.4 in the final and in the process, broke the previous record held by fellow countrywoman Nina Christen.

Mixed team 10m air rifle - Qualification Olympic record

Qian Yang and Haoran Yang (China) - 633.2 at Tokyo 2020 Olympics (July 27, 2021)

During the debut of the mixed team events at the Summer Games, Qian Yang and Haoran Yang set the Olympic record and the world record in the 10m air rifle by scoring 633.2. Qian scored 316.2 while Haoran totalled 317.0.

Pistol shooting Olympic records

Men’s 10m air pistol - Qualification Olympic record

Mikhail Nestruev (Russia) - 591 at Athens 2004 Olympics (August 14, 2004)

It is one of the few pre-Rio records which still stands.

Before Russian shooting great Mikhail Nestruev broke the qualification record in men’s 10m air pistol, it was briefly held by Wang Yifu of China. While the Chinese shooter scored 590 on the same day, Nestruev collected 591 points with his six shots, making a new record at the Games.

Men’s 10m air pistol - Final Olympic record

Javad Foroughi (Iran) - 244.8 at Tokyo 2020 Olympics (July 24, 2021)

Javad Foroughi set the Olympic record in the men’s 10m air pistol with a score of 244.8 and also became the first athlete from Iran to win a medal in shooting at the Olympics.

Women’s 10m air pistol - Qualification Olympic record

Ranxin Jiang (China) - 587 at Tokyo 2020 Olympics (July 25, 2021)

The Olympic qualification record in the 10m air pistol for women was set by Ranxin Jiang at Tokyo 2020. The Chinese markswoman’s score of 587 not only set the new Olympic record but also equalled the world record.

Women’s 10m air pistol - Final Olympic record

Oh Ye Jin (South Korea) - 243.2 at Paris 2024 Olympics (July 28, 2024)

South Korea's Oh Ye Jin shot an incredible 243.2 in the final at Paris 2024 to fend off compatriot Kim Ye Ji, who tallied 241.3. Incidentally, both the South Korean shooters' scores were better than the previous record of 240.3 set by ROC shooter Vitalina Batsarashkina at Tokyo 2020.

Men’s 25m rapid fire pistol - Qualification Olympic record

Alexei Klimov (Russia) - 592 at London 2012 Olympics (August 3, 2012)

At the London Games, Russian ace Alexei Klimov shot 294 points in Course 1 and 298 in Course 2 of the qualification to amass 592 points, setting a new Olympic and world record.

The previous world record (591) was also held by Klimov. However, the current world record is 593 made by Junhong Kim of North Korea.

Men’s 25m rapid fire pistol - Final Olympic record

Leuris Pupo (Cuba) - 34 at London 2012 Olympics (August 2, 2012)

Cuban shooter Leuris Pupo fought off a spirited challenge from India’s Vijay Kumar in the final of the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol in London. Pupo shot 34 points against Kumar’s 30 to take home his first medal in four Olympic Games.

Women’s 25m pistol - Qualification Olympic record

Jingjing Zhang (China) - 592 at Rio 2016 Olympics (August 10, 2016)/Veronika Major (Hungary) - 592 at Paris 2024 Olympics (August 2, 2024)

Chinese shooter Jingjing Zhang was miles ahead of the competition in the qualification round at the Rio Olympics, collecting a record total of 592 points in the qualifiers. Hungary's Veronika Major equalled the mark at Paris 2024.

Women’s 25m Pistol - Final Olympic record

Kim Minjung (Korea) and Vitalina Batsarashkina (ROC) - 38 at Tokyo 2020 Olympics (July 30, 2021)

Kim Minjung and Vitalina Batsarashkina matched point for point and occupied the top two positions in the final. After setting the new Olympic record with 38 points each, a shoot-off ensued, which ended in Vitalina claiming her second gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

Mixed team 10m air pistol - Qualification Olympic record

Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary (India) - 582 at Tokyo 2020 Olympics (July 27, 2021)/Sevval Ilayda Tarhan and Yusuf Dikec (Turkiye) - 582 at Paris 2024 Olympics (July 29, 2024)

The young Indian duo of Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary set the stage on fire with their precise shooting in the first-ever mixed team event at the Olympics. They topped the qualification with 582 points. But a drop in form in the next round meant the Indians could only finish seventh.

Three years later, Turkiye's Sevval Ilayda Tarhan and Yusuf Dikec shot the same score to top the Paris 2024 qualifiers in the event.

Shotgun shooting Olympic records

Men’s Trap - Qualification Olympic record

Michael Diamond (Australia) - 125 at London 2012 Olympics (August 6, 2012)

Michael Diamond set the new Olympic record in the men’s trap qualifiers in London 2012 with a perfect qualifying round. The Australian scored 125 - five shots of 25 - to top the first round.

Diamond, however, could only finish fourth at the end of the final round.

Men’s Trap - Final Olympic record

Nathan Hales (Great Britain) - 48 at Paris 2024 Olympics (July 30, 2024)

Great Britain's Nathan Hales shot a record score of 48 to win the gold at Paris 2024, comfortably beating David Kostelecky and Liptak Jiri's previous record of 43 from Tokyo 2020.

Women’s Trap - Qualification Olympic record

Zuzana Rehak (Slovakia) - 125 at Tokyo 2020 Olympics (July 29, 2021)

Slovakia’s two-time Olympic medallist Zuzana Rehak scored 125 in the qualification round to set a new Olympic record and break the world record of 123 made by Satu Makela-Nummela.

Women’s Trap - Final Olympic record

Adriana Olivia (Guatemala) - 45 at Paris 2024 Olympics (July 31, 2024)

Guatemala's Adriana Olivia shot 45 in the Paris 2024 final to better Slovak shooter Zuzana Rehak's previous record set at Tokyo 2020 by two points.

Mixed team Trap - Qualification Olympic record

Alberto Fernandez/Fatima Galvez (Spain) and Gian Berti/Alessandra Perilli (San Marino) - 148 points at Tokyo 2020 Olympics (July 31, 2021)

The Spanish team of Alberto Fernandez and Fatima Galvez and the duo of Gian Berti and Alessandra Perilli from San Marino were the top two teams at the end of the qualifications, with 148 points each. The two advanced to the gold medal match, which was won by Alberto-Fatima.

Men’s Skeet - Qualification Olympic record

Eric Delaunay (France), Tammaro Cassandro (Italy) - 124 at Tokyo 2020 Olympics (August 26, 2021) and Conner Lynn Prince (USA), Tammaro Cassandro (Italy), Lee Meng Yuan (Chinese Taipei) - 124 at Paris 2024 Olympics (August 3, 2024)

At the Asaka Shooting Range in Tokyo, Eric Delauney and Tammaro Cassandro broke the previous record (123) by scoring a near-perfect 124. The two scored 25 in all five rounds except the fourth (24). Cassandro matched his record at Paris 2024 but this time had the USA's Conner Lynn Prince and Lee Meng Yuan of Chinese Taipei for company.

Men’s skeet - Final Olympic record

Vincent Hancock (USA) and - 59 at Tokyo 2020 Olympics (July 26, 2021)

Vincent Hancock won his third successive gold medal at the Summer Games after hitting a record-setting 59 in the skeet final. He was also the joint-record holder before the scoring rules and format changed.

Women’s Skeet - Qualification Olympic record

Meng Wei (China) - 124 at Tokyo 2020 Olympics (July 26, 2021)

Meng Wei equalled her world record at the Tokyo Games and also set a new Olympic record with her qualification score of 124. The Chinese ended with a bronze medal.

Women’s Skeet - Final Olympic record

Amber English (USA) - 56 at Tokyo 2020 Olympics (July 26, 2021)

After qualifying for the final on the third spot, Amber English left the top two shooters behind in the final with her precise shooting. She missed the target just four times in 60 shots to accumulate 56 points and take home the gold. Diana Bacosi was second with 55.

Mixed team Skeet - Qualification Olympic record

Diana Bacosi and Gabriele Rossetti (Italy) - 149 at Paris 2024 Olympics (August 5, 2024)

The Italian duo set the record in the event with a score of 149 at Paris 2024.