Shooting
Australian Sports Commission
Sport Overview
Shooting has been an Olympic sport since the first Olympic Games in 1896. Shooting attracted the third highest number of participating nations in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games - 100 different countries entered teams.
Where most sports involve speed or strength or agility, shooting calls for stillness, coordination, and concentration, as well as excellent vision and quick reactions. To succeed at the Olympic Games, these skills must be developed to an amazing level and the athlete must be able to perform with extreme precision and discipline no matter what the situation.
Until the Atlanta Olympic Games, Australia had won only one Olympic medal since 1900, by pistol shooter Patti Dench in Los Angeles in 1984. In 1996 Michael Diamond broke the drought with his gold medal and Olympic record in the Trap event, to be followed two days later by Double Trap medals from Russell Mark (gold) and Deserie Wakefield (bronze). Australia finished 5th out of 100 nations on the shooting medals table in Atlanta. Sydney 2000 again saw Australia in the medals, with Michael Diamond leading the way with gold in the Trap event. Annemarie Forder fought her way to a bronze in the Women's Air Pistol event and Russell Mark came home with silver in the Double Trap event. At the 2004 Athens Olympics Australia achieved gold in the Trap event by Suzanne Balogh, and Adam Vella gained a bronze medal.
Of the three Olympic shooting disciplines, Pistol offers the best avenue to create realistic opportunities for Olympic success in London and beyond.
Current Projects
The 'Pistol Power' NTID Program involves the appointment of a dedicated National Junior Development coach, working under the direction of the National Head Coach, responsible for establishing a national feeder program to the current High Performance shooting program. Athletes and coaches will be identified and supported in their home environment, and attend national camps at the Australian Institute of Sport and other regional centres. The 'Pistol Power' program will focus on identifying young shooters in the age range of 12 to 21 years and also talent transfer from 20 to 25 year olds.
The 'Pistol Power' NTID program is a national program with regional coaches and athletes based in WA, VIC, SA and NSW.
The aims of the program are:
- Develop a national feeder program to current high performance pistol shooting program
- Identify athletes and coaches who would be supported in their home environment
- Identify or select athletes with potential
- Fast-track the athletes development
- Achieve medals in pistol shooting at London 2012 Olympics and beyond
The program will provide:
Quality Coaches
- Quality regional coaches based in WA, VIC, SA and NSW
- National Development Coach to provide development and direction to the regional coaches
Quality Environment
- Improve the training and competition environment to fast track to high performance
- Latest equipment & technology to enhance development i.e. SCATT, pressure or force system, electronic targets etc.
- AIS and regional camps
- AIS sport science and medical expertise to fast-track the athletes development
- International travel & experience
Quality Athletes
- Development of testing protocol to select the best athletes or athletes with most potential
- Selection - current athletes
- Identification - novice athletes
- Talent transfers - athletes from other sports (we are looking for top athletes from other sports whom have traits that may crossover into pistol shooting)
Squads
Selection of current pistol athletes: to occur at the Australian Youth Nationals December 2007
Talent Transfer athletes in the program: Alana Slater (Olympian in Gymnastics 2000, 2004)
Recruitment, identification and selection of athletes ongoing.
Results
The NTID athletes will compete in selected state and national competitions, including the Australian Youth Nationals, in the future and gain international experience through our links with Asia.
Program Supporters
- Australian Sports Commission
- Australian Institute of Sport
- Australia International Shooting Ltd
Contact/Links
Australia International Shooting Ltd
For further information and enquires please click here
Testimonials
“Shooting is a successful multi medal winning Olympic and Commonwealth Games Sport and is governed by the peak body Australian International Shooting Limited, which operates the High Performance program. Whilst acknowledging that success, much of the talent searching has been through family involvement with many attempts to achieve a sound talent identification program failing through lack of support. Establishment of a Talent ID program is seeking to enhance and build on the successful results to date (last three Olympics have seen shooting 6/7th on the medal tally with 106 nations competing). We must now embark on a program that will link in with our “Finding London” program. The NTID program is an initiative which will see a professional approach to talent identification through new, and talent transferred athletes”. Nick Sullivan, CEO Australia International Shooting Ltd.
“For Australia to win in the future we need to develop athletes from a younger age and assist them to attain their goals quickly”. Anatoly Babushkin, National Pistol Head Coach
