While the European Shotgun Championships continue in Larnaca, Cyprus, the next shooting qualifying event is about to begin. The European 25m/50m Championships take place, and all the rules in Larnaca apply in Wrocław, but for four different events (the Men’s and Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions, the Men’s Rapid Fire Pistol, and the Women’s 25m Pistol): this means that the top two athletes in each event will qualify an Olympic spot for their country, with the stipulation that the same country can’t qualify the two spots.
Polish sports club Śląsk Wrocław, which is the title holders in Polish basketball as well as boasting a top-flight side in men’s football, women’s football and handball will host the event at their indoor shooting range. While start lists have not been confirmed, British Shooting have confirmed who will take part. In the Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Position, Dean Bale and Michael Bargeron will represent GB. Bale managed a bronze medal at Gold Coast 2018, the website of which (which is somehow still up) says his ambition is to be an Olympic medallist, which seems a long way off. His hobbies are listed as “none as training takes up most of his time when he’s not studying”. The life of an athlete, eh? Michael Bargeron, who is “Head of Shooting” at the famous Sevenoaks School in Southampton has some respectable placings at the European and World level, but needless to say for both of them coming in the top two seems a bit of a pipe dream. In the Rapid Fire Pistol event, Sam Gowin and Kristian Callaghan don British colours: Gowin also picked up a bronze medal at Gold Coast, while Callaghan did so at Glasgow 2014. Don’t expect to see either in the top two though.
On the women’s side, in the 50m Rifle 3 Position it’s Katie Gleeson and Seonaid McIntosh. Gleeson also competed at Gold Coast but missed out on any medals, and has a world ranking of 41. McIntosh is a unicorn for GB in this event and indeed this category of shooting with an impressive medal haul at this level. Finally, in the Women’s 25m Pistol Jess Liddon goes for GB, with a world ranking of 82 coming in the top two will be unlikely but she has had some respectable placings over the years.
At Tokyo 2020, McIntosh was the only British shooter not to use a shotgun to qualify, where she managed a 14th place finish, not too far off the final. While this hurdle, top two in Europe, may be a bit too far to climb, if anyone can do it wearing red white and blue in Poland it will be the 26-year-old Edinburgh native.
These events take place from 12-15 September, with the finals on 14 September: the Women’s 25m Pistol at 10:00 (11:00 local time), the Men’s Rapid Fire Pistol at 16:00, the Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions at 18:00, and the Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions on 15 September at 16:00. They will be live on the ISSF’s website.
GB Games 