Shooting at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Qualification

Qualification rules

A nation may earn up to 2 quota places per event, except for Women's Trap and Skeet, where the maximum is 1 quota place per event.

The qualification consists of two parts:

* A "minimum qualification score (MQS)" that each shooter has to perform in at least one ISSF championship to be eligible for the Olympics in that certain event. The MQS are set rather low.
* A number of "quota places" in each event, adding up to a total of 390. The quota places are won by the national federations when their shooters rank high in ISSF championships (at ISSF World Cups, only the best-ranking shooter yet without a Quota place gains one, while at the World Championships there are more places at stake). Some quota places are left as wild cards.

Each quota place gives the national federation the right to send one shooter to compete in that event. However, there is a maximum of two shooters per event and country. On the other hand, a shooter filling a quota place in one event may compete in other events as well, as long as the MQS have been fulfilled. Most shooters combine events in this way (apart from those in 25 m Rapid Fire Pistol, Skeet and Women's Trap, who generally do not, because there are no events similar to theirs on the program).

ummary

50 m Rifle Prone Men

25 m Rapid Fire Pistol Men

Double Trap Men

10 m Air Rifle Women

Trap Women

Skeet Women

* Unused Quota

** Swap

Note: Athletes qualify their nation, not themselves. However, an athlete can only earn one quota place. If the same athlete finishes first at a subsequent qualifying event, the quota place is awarded to the nation of the next highest finisher who has not already earned a quota place. Nations may "swap" quota places between 2 events, IE give up a quota in one event in exchange for another event where they didn't earn a quota, subject to availability of time and space at the range.

References

* [http://www.issf-shooting.org/ International Shooting Sport Federation]
* [http://www.issf-shooting.org/update/quotaplaces.asp?mode=quota1 ISSF Olympic Quota Places]
* [http://www.issf.tv ISSF Championship Results]