The ISSF World Cup Rifle and Pistol in Munich, where finals get underway tomorrow, provides the last opportunity for athletes to earn Paris 2024 places through the Olympic Qualification Ranking system, where sports will be allotted on June 9.
A hugely competitive field has been assembled at the Olympic Shooting Range, with the top five world-ranked men in all four individual Olympic events -10m air rifle, 50m rifle 3 positions, 10m air pistol and 25m rapid fire pistol – taking part.
Only two from the equivalent female rankings will be missing from the field.
The hosts are fielding a team of 28 that includes Anna Janssen (pictured), world No.1 in the 10m air rifle and world No.2 in the 50m rifle 3 positions, Doreen Vennekamp, the 25m pistol world champion and female ISSF Athlete of the Year for 2023.
But the largest team, numbering 29, is that of India, whose athletes will seek impressive showings in this event to finalise places earned in an Olympic trial process that concluded last month.
China has named a team of 25, including men’s 25m rapid fire pistol world champion Li Yuehong, and the Czech Republic field 20.
France, prospective Olympic hosts, have selected 19 athletes including, in the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol, the current Olympic champion Jean Quiquampoix and men’s ISSF World Athlete of the Year for 2023, Clement Bessaguet.
Tomorrow sees the finals of the men’s and women’s 10m air rifle events.
The former involves the five top world-ranked athletes, in order - Martin Strempfl of Austria, Istvan Peni of Hungary, Danilo Sollazzo of Italy, Divyansh Panwar of India and Petar Gorsa of Croatia.
The women’s version involves the 22-year-old world No. 1 Janssen, world No.2 Aneta Stankiewicz of Poland, world No.4 Julia Piotrowska of Poland and Oceanne Muller of France, ranked fifth.
The World Cup will conclude on Friday, June 7 with the men’s and women’s 50m rifle 3 positions finals.