Sport pistol has been a womens Olympic event since 1984. Athletes use.22 calibre standard pistols to shoot precision and rapid-fire competition from a distance of 25 meters. The precision target has a 5 cm 10-ring, while the rapid-fire target has a 10cm centre.

The Guns: Sport pistols shoot.22 calibre ammunition from a five-shot magazine without the advantage of ported baffles or wrap-around grips, as in rapid-fire. World-class guns for this event, like the Walther GSP, Hammerli, Fas. or Pardini, cost $800-$1400.

Course of Fire: The 60-shot match is divided into 30 shots precision and 30 shots rapid-fire. The precision, or slow-fire stage, is fired in six series of five shots, and competitors have six minutes per series. In the 30-shot rapid-fire stage, competitors shoot strings of five shots. Three seconds are allotted for each shot, followed by seven seconds of rest.

Perfect Match Score: 600 is a perfect score, with 585 being world-class.

Finals: The top eight competitors advance to a final, which consists of 10 shots fired in 2 series of the 'rapid fire' stage. Targets are scored in 10ths after each shot and added to the match score to determine medallists. A perfect final score is 109.

Finals are not competed in at club level.

Perfect Aggregate (Match + Final) Score: 709 points.

A Bronze Olympic Medal was won by Pattie Dench at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.