First LA 2028 Olympic Quotas: Five Countries Secure Six Places at World Shooting Championships in Doha

On November 3, the first six Olympic quota places for the Los Angeles 2028 Games were awarded at the ISSF World Championships in Doha, Qatar. Athletes representing five countries — China, South Korea, France, Croatia and Slovakia — secured the quotas. Meanwhile, the first two gold medals of the championships went to the reigning Olympic champions from Paris 2024.

The first day of Olympic quota allocation featured the men's and women's 10m air rifle finals. China's Sheng Lihao and South Korea's Ban Hyojin emerged victorious, reaffirming their status as world-class shooters following their Olympic triumphs in Paris.

Which Countries Secured the First Olympic Quota Places?

Following the two finals, the Olympic quotas were distributed as follows:

• China — 2 quotas (men and women).

• South Korea — 1 quota (women).

• France — 1 quota (women).

• Croatia — 1 quota (men).

• Slovakia — 1 quota (men).

In the women's competition, Ban Hyojin claimed gold with a score of 253.1 points. China's Han Jiayu took silver with 252.2 points, while her compatriot Wang Zifei earned bronze with 231.0 points.

In the men's event, Sheng Lihao became world champion with a score of 254.1 points. Fellow Chinese shooter Ma Sihan finished second with 253.1 points, while Croatia's Miran Maričić claimed bronze with 229.9 points.

See the full results of the day.

Why Did Athletes Outside the Podium Places Receive Olympic Quotas?

One of the key features of the Olympic qualification system is that each country can earn only one quota place per individual event at a single World Championships.

As a result, France's Océanne Muller secured an Olympic quota despite finishing fourth in the women's final. A similar situation occurred in the men's competition, where Patrik Jány earned a quota for Slovakia after finishing sixth.

It is important to note that Olympic quota places are allocated to National Olympic Committees rather than individual athletes.

Artyom Grigoryan Finishes 20th

Armenia was represented in the men's qualification round by Artyom Grigoryan. He scored 629.5 points and finished 20th among 107 competitors.

The Armenian shooter fell 2.7 points short of qualifying for the eight-athlete final. As a result, Grigoryan was unable to secure an Olympic quota place for Armenia.

Another 30 Olympic Quota Places Still Available in Doha

The ISSF World Championships are taking place from November 1 to 14. A total of 36 Olympic quota places are available across 12 individual events, with three quotas awarded in each discipline.

Following the first two finals, another 30 quota places remain to be allocated. The next three quotas will be awarded on November 4 in the men's 25m rapid fire pistol event.

The World Championships in Doha mark the first Olympic qualification event in shooting on the road to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.