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Sydney 2000 Shooting Newsletter
August 1998.
Courtesy of Alan Maher, Competition Manager-Shooting SOCOG
NATIONAL TECHNICAL OFFICIALS
Earlier this year expressions of interest were called from persons wishing to be involved with the Olympic and Paralympic Games as shooting volunteers. The notice calling for expressions of interest stated that travel and accommodation would be the responsibility of the respective individual. While this is correct for volunteers, it is not quite the case for persons identified and offered positions as National technical Officials.
National Technical Officials officiating at the Olympic Games, will be provided with transport to and from their home, accommodation and meals at the officials village, as well as a Games time uniform. If you are interested in officiating as a National Technical official and have not previously advised of your interest, please do so at your earliest opportunity by completing the form which has been in a previous issue of your sports official publication, or by telephoning SOCOG Shooting on 02 9297 2460, requesting a form to be posted to you. Persons who have advised of their interest will shortly receive confirmation of receipt of their advice. Please refer to the section headed SHOOTING VOLUNTEERS
ARE OUR SHOOTING OFFICIALS UP TO IT-YES
While it is SOCOG's intention to ensure that all of the Olympic events are conducted efficiently by competent officials, the one certain way in which the success of the Olympic Games shooting program will be judged is by the manner in which the shooting events are conducted on the field-of play.
It is essential, therefore, that those persons who are eventually selected as national technical officials are the best available, well trained and appropriately experienced. While there are concerns in some sports that the current pool of national technical officials is neither large enough nor sufficiently well trained for the task ahead, this is generally not the case in the sport of shooting. Each of the four disciplines involved on the Olympic Games program has a depth of qualified A and B Grade Judges who are well experienced, with many of these having experience at World Cup, Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games level. While the majority may not have had experience at this level, they will be able to gain further and considerable experience at the 1999 Oceania Shooting Championships and the ISSF World Cup in March 2000. At the conclusion of these two major events in Australia, they will have sufficient experience to cope well with what will be expected of them if they are selected as National Technical Officials for Sydney 2000.
SHOOTING VOLUNTEERS
The Official Volunteers 2000 Program is to be launched in October. It is expected that some 200 volunteers will be required to assist in the conduct of the Shooting competition for the Olympic Games with a similar but lesser number required for the Paralympic Games.
Volunteers will be provided with the official volunteer uniform, meals while working, and access to free travel on public transport for the period of the Games. The Official Volunteer 2000 National launch is scheduled to occur in early October, and will include all details on how to apply to become a volunteer. Further information about volunteering will be available at briefings to be held in all States in October.
A comprehensive supplement about Volunteers 2000 is to be included in the NSW Sun-Herald for residents of NSW. The Volunteer 2000 application will be available in the NSW Sun-Herald a week later.
Persons interested in becoming involved with the Olympic and Paralympic Games will need to complete a Volunteer 2000 Application when they become available in October.
This requirement will also apply for those persons who have previously advised of their interest.
After the October launch, Volunteer 2000 Applications will also be available upon request by ringing the Games Information Line on 136 363 for the cost of a local call.
Particular care must be taken when completing the volunteer application form to indicate SHOOTING as the Name of Sport AND the Shooting Centre, Cecil Park as the preferred venue. Volunteers Applications received by SOCOG indicating SHOOTING, will be forwarded to the Shooting Competition Manager to ensure that prospective shooting volunteers receive first consideration for their chosen sport. Volunteer applications will only be accepted on the official SOCOG Volunteers 2000 Application. All applications will be subject to a SOCOG security check.
SOCOG SHOOTING STAFF
SOCOG has recently confirmed the appointment of five persons to assist the Competition Manager with the planning and preparation for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Joining the SOCOG shooting staff in full time positions are
Michelle Fletcher, Technical Operations Manager-Rifle
Robert Smith, Technical Operations Manager- Clay Target
Spencer Tweedie, Technical Operations Manager- Pistol
Gina Di Lullo, Administration Manager
Phil Grove, Firearms Armoury Supervisor, will join SOCOG in a part time role.
Michelle Fletcher comes to SOCOG with a strong background in shooting having represented Australia as a member of the Australian Ladies Full Bore Rifle team . Robert Smith has considerable experience in Clay Target shooting as a shotgun shooter in his own right, culminating with his appointment as Olympic Shooting Team Coach for Barcelona in 1992. Spencer Tweedie has considerable experience in Pistol, officiating at the Atlanta Olympic Games as well as many other international competitions. Gina Di Lullo comes to SOCOG from the Australian Clay Target Association where she has been employed in an administrative role since 1992. Phil Grove has played a major role in the organisation of a number of Arafura Games in Darwin. His experience in this regard will prove to be invaluable.
OLYMPIC COMPETITION PROGRAM
Did you know.... According to the official competition schedule which has recently been released, 21 sports will be played on September 16, the first day of competition for the 2000 Olympic Games. Shooting, Women's Air Rifle, will proudly and in keeping with tradition, provide the first medal for the Sydney Games. 17 events are on the Olympic shooting program, 10 men and 7 Women. Clay Target, will have six events, 3 Men, 3 Women. Pistol, five events, 3 Men and 2 Women.. Rifle, five events, 3 men, 2 Women. Running Target, one event, Men.
Day 1 Saturday September 16 Air Rifle Women Air Pistol Men Trap Men Day 2 Sunday September 17 Air Pistol Women Trap Men Day 3 Monday September 18 Air Rifle Men Trap Women Day 4 Tuesday September 19 Free Pistol Men Double Trap Women Day 5 Wednesday September 20 Sport Rifle 3x20 Women Double Trap Men Rapid Fire Pistol Men Day 6 Thursday September 21 Running Target Men Rapid Fire Pistol Men Free Rifle Men Skeet Women Day 7 Friday September 22 Sport Pistol Women Running Target Men Skeet Men + Women Day 8 Saturday September 23 Free Rifle 3x40 Men Skeet Men
SHOOTING PICTOGRAM
Pictograms for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games were endorsed by the International Olympic Committee and the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) at meetings recently held in Sydney. The Pictograms were presented to each international federation following months of consultation with SOCOG Sports Competition Managers, the Sport commission, IOC Executive Board and international sporting federations. The Olympic Games Pictograms which as well as being sport specific, are designed to overcome language barriers and provide an identifiable symbol unique to each sport. Combining Australian design with practicality, the Pictograms which are easily identified for each sport, have been described by many of the international federations as being the best design yet produced for an Olympic Games
OLYMPIC VILLAGE
Athletes wil be accommodated at the Olympic Village at Homebush. Situated on approximately 100 hectares, construction on the Olympic Village which will be home for 10,200 athletes and 5100 officials has already commenced.
SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL SHOOTING CENTRE - SISC
Work on the SISC is well under way and proceeding to schedule. Access roads have been created as has all of the early earth moving works. The site has been fully prepared to allow for the pouring of foundations for the main building which will house the 10-25-50m and finals range. Visitors to SISC have been very impressed with what has already occurred, and also with the fact that Sydney is well ahead of previous Olympics with planing and construction of the shooting facility which will be a showcase to the world, and a shooing centre which Australia's shooting athletes will enjoy and benefit from for many years to come.
UIT/ISSF
Delegates at a meeting of the UIT General Assembly held in Barcelona in July approved a recommendation from the UIT Executive Committee to change from International Shooting Union [UIT] to International Shooting Sport Federation [ISSF]. The decision taken by delegates is in keeping with the majority of international sporting bodies known as Federations.
ISSF WORLD CUP-MARCH 2000
The ISSF Executive Committee have approved an application from the Australian Shooting Association for a World Cup in each of the Olympic disciplines to be held in Sydney in March 2000. Technical Delegates, Anderson USA, ISSF Vice President/Competition Manager Atlanta 1996, and Jesus Elizondo Mexico, Technical Delegate, Atlanta 1996, have been appointed for both the World Cup and Olympic Games. Both Delegates are scheduled to visit Australia in February 1999 to carry out their of two inspections of the new SISC shooting facility at Cecil Park. The Australian Shooting Association with approval from the ISSF has vested SOCOG with full and total responsibility for the planning and conduct of the ISSF World Cup. The World Cup which will also serve as the SOCOG Olympic Test Event will follow the exact program as that for the September 2000 Olympic Games. Approximately 700 athletes plus officials are expected to take part in the World Cup which will be preceded for the first time in Australia by a General Assembly of ISSF Delegates.
PARALYMPICS
The Paralympic Games will take place between the 18th and 29th October, with the village open between October 11 and November 01. Shooting will figure prominently at the Games with twelve events over six days of competition. 150 athletes from the 40 countries affiliated with the International Shooting Committee for the Disabled, will participate in the Games with entry restricted to no more than three athletes per country for any one event. We wish all disabled athletes whose vision is, to participate in the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, set new standards in excellence, and achieve their best performance, success in their personal endeavours to achieve these goals.
LIZZIE PARALYMPIC GAMES MASCOT
Lizzie, the frill-necked lizard, with the voice of Olivia Newton-John. The lizard was chosen for its tenacity and determination to overcome adversity and be able to adapt to its environment Lizzie is available for public appearances in the lead-up to the Games
SOCOG SHOOTING STAFF
Contact Details : Alan Maher, Competition Manager, Tel 02 9297 2460, Fax 02 9297 2019
| alan_maher@socog.com.au | |
| michelle_fletcher@socog.com.au | |
| robert_smith@socog.com.au | |
| gina_dilullo@socog.com.au | |
| spencer_tweedie@socog.com.au |
SOCOG CALL CENTRE
Enquiries regarding competition program, volunteer forms, Torch Relay etc etc, can be answered for the cost of a local telephone call.
For easy access to information about the Sydney Games, call 136 363.
SPORTS PRESENTATION
One of the highlights of the shooting competition in Atlanta was the way in which the events were presented to the spectators at the Wolf Creek Shooting Complex and to the three billion television viewers around the world. Wherever appropriate, the competition producer (presentation manager) used videos, graphics, announcements and music to enhance the sporting spectacle, and to provide sufficient information to the audience to enable them to appreciate it all the more. In Sydney for the year 2000 we will be looking to learn from Atlanta. While it is hard to imagine shooting going the way of basketball or beach volleyball, SOCOG's Sports Division, and each individual sport, is now in the process of assessing the potential to enhance the Olympic competitions with suitable presentation elements.
Alan Maher, Competition Manager-Shooting
