Free Rifle, Standing, 300 metres, Men

The target in this event was 1 metre in diameter with 10 scoring rings, with a black aiming mark of 60 cm in diameter. Shooters shot 40 shots from 300 metres in a standing position for a possible of 400 points. This event was a part of the 3-position free rifle event which was shot concurrently for individuals and teams, and like the other two elements, prone and kneeling, it counted as a separate event with medals being awarded accordingly. It was the only time at the Olympics that this happened.

For the first and only time, the World Championships were held concurrently with the Olympics and the Olympic Champions also became World Champions. It was the fourth staging of the World Championships, having previously been held in Lyon (France) in 1897, Turin (Italy) 1898 and Loosduinen 1899 which, since 1923 has been a district of Den Haag (Netherlands). The nine medals at all three World Championships had been won by nine different men and all but one were challenging for the gold medal in Paris.

Out to successfully defend his title was Switzerland’s Franz Böckli while the silver and bronze medallists from 1899, Lars Jørgen Madsen (Denmark) and Olaf Frydenlund (Norway) were also present. The three French medallists from 1898, Achille Paroche (gold), Léon Moreaux (silver) and Auguste Cavadini (bronze) were also taking part as were the 1897 gold and bronze medallists Ole Østmo (Norway) and Henrik Sillem (Netherlands). The silver medallist Frank Jullien of Switzerland was the only World Championship medallist since 1897 not to compete in Paris.

The gold medal went to Lars Jørgen Madsen who won by six points from Ole Østmo. His winning score of 305 would not have been good enough to win a medal at the 1899 World Championships. Madsen, who was the 1899 Three Positions World Champion, competed at the Olympics from 1900-24 in 26 events and won five medals, including two golds.