USA Shooting Announces Selection Procedures For Next Olympic Quadrennium
// August 10th, 2005 // No Comments » // Shooting Sports
USA Shooting, the national governing body for Olympic-style shooting in the United States, has posted the selection procedures for the 2006 World Championships and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
The main departure from this past quad is that one of the two slots available for each event for the 2008 Olympic Games will be selected based on a points system athletes can begin accruing starting in 2006 that rewards international competition experience. The final slot will be selected based on performance at Olympic selection matches. In this past quad (for pistol at least), selection for both slots was based on performance at selection matches. In lay terms, this means that at least one of the two slots will be filled by an individual with at least two years of experience competing on the “big stage” against the same people they’ll face at the Olympic Games.
My kneejerk reaction is that this is a good thing if winning medals is what we’re after (and it most certainly is). It provides a balance between sending someone with a pedigree of international competition experience and offering an opportunity to talented up-and-comers to make the Olympic team.
There have been lengthy discussions in the last few years about the inconsistency in the US Shooting Team selection process and in how good shooters are developed into great shooters. I hope this is a step in the right direction.
For more information:
2006 World Championship Selection Information
2008 Olympic Selection Information
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