Variant of skeet shooting used at the Olympic Games
ISSF Olympic skeet
Men
Number of targets
125 + 60
Olympic Games
Since 1968
Abbreviation
SK125
Women
Number of targets
125 + 60
Olympic Games
Since 2000
Abbreviation
SK125W
Olympic skeet is a variant of skeet shooting, and the specific variant used in the Olympic Games. The discipline is sanctioned by the International Shooting Sport Federation. Two throwing machines at different heights launch a series of 25 targets in a specific order, some as singles and some as doubles, with the shooter having a fixed position between them. Both men's and women's competitions consist of five such series. The top six competitors shoot an additional series as a final round, on targets filled with special powder to show hits more clearly to the audience. The competitors use shotguns of 12 bore or smaller. All actions are allowed, including double barrel breech loaders, semi-automatic or others, but not pump action guns.[1]
History
Unlike English Skeet, participants shooting Olympic Skeet must call for the clays with guns off the shoulder, with the stock positioned level with the hip. A delay switch is incorporated within the clay trap, meaning the clays might be released immediately or up to three seconds after the shooter calls the clay. Under no circumstances must the gun be moved until the clay is released, or the shooter will face disqualification.
Mixed-Gender to Separate Events
From the introduction of the sport to the Olympics in 1968 to 1992, the sport was mixed-gender. In 1992, the first female, Zhang Shan from China, won the gold medal. However, women did not compete at the 1996 Olympics in Skeet Shooting, and since 2000, women have competed in a separate event. [2] A decision to separate men's and women's skeet shooting had been made in December 1991, and in April 1992 the International Shooting Sport Federation decided to eliminate women from both trap and skeet due to a lack of competitors.[3][4][5] According to the Federation, the decision was taken "to allow more places for well-qualified men;" trap and skeet events had used a quota system since 1952, which stated no country could field more than two competitors of any gender, and the 1988 Olympic games eliminated the per-country quotas in favor of limiting both events to the top six women and top 48-52 men.[6][5] All Olympic games since 2000 have maintained separate events for men and women and beginning in Tokyo 2020, a mixed team event.
25 Shot Sequence
Diagram of a Skeet range layout. The stations are numbered 1-8 counterclockwise around the semicircle, with station 1 on the left corner next to the high house, station 4 at the midpoint of the arc, station 7 at the right corner next to the low house, and station 8 at the midpoint of the flat side.
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