Azerbaijan Prepares to Host the 53rd World Shooting Championship

Azerbaijan is set to host the 53rd World Shooting Championship organized by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) in August of this year.

The opening ceremony of this quadrennial tournament will take place at the Crystal Palace events hall in the capital city of Baku on August 15. The competitions themselves will be held at the Baku Shooting Center.

Over the course of two weeks, from August 15 to September 1, 1,260 athletes representing 104 countries will compete in 55 categories, including 12 individual events.

The competitions will include both men’s and women’s events in mixed categories such as pistol and rifle shooting, as well as bench shooting and shooting at moving targets.

In each individual category, four shooters will secure a license to participate in the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics – the 33rd Olympic games scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11 of next year.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the organizers of the 53rd World Shooting Championship unveiled the official logo, mascot, and medals of the upcoming tournament in Azerbaijan.

The mascot, named “Targy,” is derived from the English word “target.”

Back in May, Baku hosted the ISSF 2023 World Cup, which featured 523 athletes from 66 countries. The six-day tournament included competitions in 10 shooting categories.

This World Cup was the third of its kind held in the capital of Azerbaijan, introducing the new rules that will be applied in the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games.