Power ranking every single sport at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics

41. Shooting

This is another sport that could be incredibly cool, but there are just too many rules to follow. If we are talking about simply hitting a target and the athlete doing that best wins, then this would be higher on this list. If they put 12 shooters up at the same time in a shooting range, this would be very cool. Shooting is obviously a skill, one that many master over their lifetime. 

Shooting was one of nine events that took place in the original Olympic Games back in 1896. This is always something that was synonymous with life. It’s one of the few things that all countries have in common. There are people that know how to shoot.

It’s honestly surprising that shooting isn’t more popular due to the U.S. dominance in the sport, but that could also lie within it a problem. If it’s a formality the U.S. wins (even if that’s just perceived), then interest will be low. They will be using pistols, rifles, and shotguns at the Olympics this year. There will be target and skeet shooting. It all sounds fine, but it doesn’t really land on television.

This year, there will be multiple changes to the shooting format. The IOC is hoping to enhance the sport’s popularity since there are more than a dozen shooting events at every Olympics, and sometimes those events are the first medals given out at the Olympics. Each individual final will now have an elimination format, which should help the event. Shooting might move up in the next iteration of this list, but for now, it sits near the bottom.