Canada Earns First Air-Pistol Spot for 2024 Olympics as Özer Wins Pan Am Gold

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TheGunBlog.ca — Canada earned its first quota spot to shoot air pistol in the 2024 Olympics yesterday after Tugrul Özer won gold with a new record in the 10-metre event at the Pan American Games.

If Özer represents the country at the Paris games next summer, as is likely, it will be the first time Team Canada sends a male shooter to the Olympics since 1992 in Barcelona, the Canadian Olympic Committee said on its website.

Pan Am Gold

Özer narrowly beat James Hall of the U.S. for the Pan Am gold.

From Olympics.com:

It was a North American battle as Canada’s Tugrul Ozer and Team USA’s James Hall ping-ponged the lead between themselves throughout the men’s 10m air pistol final Thursday (26 October) at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, until the Canadian took it all, securing a quota to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, a new Games Record, and the gold medal.

“I focused on the technique and the process,” Ozer told Olympics.com after stepping down from the podium.

—Olympics.com, 26 October 2023

“So awesome, now we have a quota spot in men’s pistol!” Allan Harding, a four-time Canadian pistol champion, told TheGunBlog.ca.

“Tugrul Ozer is GOLDEN!!!” the Shooting Federation of Canada said on Facebook. “Men’s 10m Air Pistol Gold Medal, Paris Quota Spot and Pan Am Games Record (240.5)! Way to go Tugrul!!!”

Westlake Wins Olympic Rifle Spot

Shannon Westlake earned Team Canada’s first 2024 Olympics quota spot in shooting, the Canadian Olympic Committee reported.

She took bronze two days ago in women’s three-position rifle at the Pan Am Games.

Shooters fire .22LR from kneeling, prone and standing at 50 metres.

Politicians Vs. Shooting Sports

Canada’s participation in many shooting sports has ended or is on its way out as the governing Liberal Party works to kill the athletic careers of Özer, Harding, and others.

‘Focusing on Technique’

Toronto-based Özer, aged 36, immigrated to Canada in 2017 from Turkey, which he had represented internationally for “several years,” the Canadian Olympic Committee said.

“It was quite stressful,” Ozer said after his Pan Am win, the committee reported on its website. “I was just focusing on my technique and my process and relying on it.”

Team Canada continues to shoot at the Pan Am Games today with men’s three-position rifle, men’s trap (shotgun), and mixed air pistol, the Shooting Federation of Canada said on Facebook.

“Finish strong Canada!!” the SFC said.

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Correction

  • Corrects headline and first paragraph to specify this is Canada’s first spot in air pistol.