Shooting at the 1972 Summer Olympics

Dates 27 August – 2 September 1972
Medal Events 8

There were eight events on the 1972 program, the same seven as in 1968 and adding the running target event. Running target had been on the Olympic Program in various forms since 1908, having been held in 1908-1924 and 1952-56. The seven basic events were two pistol events, free and rapid-fire; three rifle events, small-bore prone, small-bore three positions, and free rifle three positions; and two shotgun events, trap and skeet. A free rifle event had been on the Olympic Program in some form since 1896, with the exception of 1932-36, but this would be the last Olympics at which the event would be held. Usually shot over a 300-metre course (and at various times in the past at huge distances up to 800 metres and 1,000 yards), the event was the victim of an effort to shorten the distances of the Olympic shooting events, allowing smaller ranges to be constructed. All the events were conducted at the Hochbrück Shooting Range. As in 1968, women were allowed to compete alongside men, as all events were mixed. Four women competed in 1972.

Events

Event Status Date Participants NOCs
Rapid-Fire Pistol, 25 metres, Open Olympic 31 August – 1 September 1972 62 39
Free Pistol, 50 metres, Open Olympic 27 August 1972 59 36
Free Rifle, Three Positions, 300 metres, Open Olympic 2 September 1972 33 20
Small-Bore Rifle, Three Positions, 50 metres, Open Olympic 30 August 1972 69 40
Small-Bore Rifle, Prone, 50 metres, Open Olympic 28 August 1972 101 58
Running Target, 50 metres, Open Olympic 31 August – 1 September 1972 28 16
Trap, Open Olympic 27 – 29 August 1972 57 34
Skeet, Open Olympic 31 August – 2 September 1972 63 36
397 (392/5) 71 (71/5)

Medals

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Rapid-Fire Pistol, 25 metres, Open Józef ZapędzkiPOL Ladislav FaltaTCH Viktor TorshinURS
Free Pistol, 50 metres, Open Ragnar SkanåkerSWE Dan IugaROU Rudolf DollingerAUT
Free Rifle, Three Positions, 300 metres, Open Lones WiggerUSA Boris MelnikURS Lajos PappHUN
Small-Bore Rifle, Three Positions, 50 metres, Open John WriterUSA Lanny BasshamUSA Werner LippoldtGDR
Small-Bore Rifle, Prone, 50 metres, Open Li Ho-JunPRK Vic AuerUSA Nicolae RotaruROU
Running Target, 50 metres, Open Yakov ZheleznyakURS Helmut BellingrodtCOL John KynochGBR
Trap, Open Angelo ScalzoneITA Michel CarregaFRA Silvano BasagniITA
Skeet, Open Konrad WirnhierFRG Yevgeny PetrovURS Michael BuchheimGDR

Medal table

NOC Gold Silver Bronze Total
United States USA 2 2 0 4
Soviet Union URS 1 2 1 4
Italy ITA 1 0 1 2
Democratic People's Republic of Korea PRK 1 0 0 1
Poland POL 1 0 0 1
Sweden SWE 1 0 0 1
West Germany FRG 1 0 0 1
Romania ROU 0 1 1 2
Colombia COL 0 1 0 1
Czechoslovakia TCH 0 1 0 1
France FRA 0 1 0 1
East Germany GDR 0 0 2 2
Austria AUT 0 0 1 1
Great Britain GBR 0 0 1 1
Hungary HUN 0 0 1 1