An Overview of the Olympic Clay Target Events and Their Required
Facilities

A white paper prepared by USA Shooting for the Congressional
Sportsman’s Foundation - 7 March 2002

Introduction

Shooting is one of the original eight Olympic sports and has been part
of nearly every Modern Olympic Games since 1896. Currently there are
17 Olympic shooting events for both men and women in four different
disciplines; rifle, pistol, running target and shotgun. The current
Olympic shotgun events include trap, double trap and skeet. United
States shooting sports athletes have won six medals in the last two
Olympics, five of which were in the shotgun events; a gold, a silver
and three bronze. Shooters have won 72 individual Olympic medals for
the United States sine 1896, more than in any other Olympic sport
except for athletics and swimming.

Headquartered at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs,
USA Shooting is recognized by both the US Olympic Committee and the
International Shooting Sport Federation as the national governing body
for Olympic shooting in the United States. USA Shooting trains and
selects the athletes who make up the US Shooting Team, which
represents the United States in major international competitions,
including the Olympic Games, World Championships, Pan American Games
and Championships of the Americas, and at the numerous ISSF World Cup
matches.

Olympic Shotgun Events and Equipment

In general, the Olympic shotgun events are intended to be far more
difficult than their domestic counterparts. The clay targets used in
the Olympic events are flatter and of a more durable construction,
making breakage much more difficult. The targets are thrown at far
greater speeds, over much wider arcs and angles, and to a much greater
distance than those in our domestic events. Firearms allowed include
any 12-gauge shotgun holding two rounds. Over-and-under designs
predominate due to their reliability and durability, having to
withstand many tens-of-thousands of rounds fired in practice and
competition each year. 12-gauge ammunition used in Olympic events is
restricted to a lighter load of lead pellets to further increase the
shotgun events’ difficulty.

Trap

Trap has been a part of the Olympics since 1900. Squads of six
shooters fire in rotation in rounds of 25 targets. Each shooter is
presented with the same set of targets during the round, but in random
order so the target’s flight can’t be anticipated. Targets emerge
upon the shooter’s call from an underground bunker containing 15
throwing machines. One or two shots may be fired at each target. Men
fire a 125 target qualifying round over two days, while women fire a
75 target course in one day. The top six shooters from the qualifying
round proceed to the medals final round, firing an additional 25
target round with the final score added to the qualifying score to
determine the medallists.

Double Trap

Double Trap has been a part of the Olympics since 1996. Squads of six
shooters fire in rotation in rounds of 40 targets for women and 50
targets for men. Each shooter is presented with the same set of
targets during the round. Targets emerge in pairs upon the shooter’s
call from an underground bunker containing 15 throwing machines, the
center of which are used in this event. One shot may be fired at each
target. Men fire a 150 target qualifying round in one day, while
women fire a 120 target course in one day. The top six shooters from
the qualifying round proceed to the medals final round, firing an
additional 40 target round for women or 50 target round for men, with
the final score added to the qualifying score to determine the
medallists.

Skeet

Skeet has been a part of the Olympics since 1968. International skeet
closely mirrors the domestic event and can be shot on existing skeet
fields. Squads of six shooters fire a fixed course of 25 targets per
round, fired from eight different shooting stations. Shooters start
with the shotgun’s butt stock held at hip level and then call for
their targets. Targets emerge from throwing machines housed at each
side of the field, with the two houses referred to as the low house
and high house. Targets will be presented as either singles or
doubles, and only one shot is allowed at each target. Men shoot a
qualifying round of 125 targets over two days while women shoot a 75
target qualifying course. The top six shooters from the qualifying
round proceed into the medals final round, firing at an additional 25
targets. The final round score is added to the qualifying round score
to determine the medallists.