Shooting Competition
USA Shooting Athletes Set for 2025 ISSF World Cup Final in Qatar
USA Shooting Athletes Set for 2025 ISSF World Cup Final in Qatar
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✍️By ZRIntel Editorial Team📍Doha, Qatar
The final major stop of the international shooting sports season lands in Doha, Qatar, this week, where the 2025 ISSF World Cup Final gathers the year’s top rifle, pistol and shotgun competitors. For USA Shooting, it’s a chance to extend a strong run that has stretched from the Olympics in Paris to October’s ISSF Shotgun World Championship in Athens. It’s also a preview of how American talent is stacking up as the next Olympic quad begins to take shape.
The U.S. delegation features 11 athletes, anchored by familiar names who have won just about everything the sport offers. Vincent Hancock, the four-time Olympic champion in men’s skeet, arrives as the reigning world champion after reclaiming the crown in Athens. Samantha Simonton did the same on the women’s side, part of a U.S. sweep of the individual skeet titles and both skeet team events. Their golds helped fuel a six-medal performance that reminded the rest of the shotgun world that American depth remains a constant.
Kim Rhode—still competing, still contending, still collecting medals long after most peers have retired—returns to the ISSF World Cup Final with the six-time Olympic medalist’s usual presence: steady, unhurried and impossible to ignore. Glenn Eller brings his own history of big-stage experience, arriving with a mixed team trap bronze from Athens alongside partner Ava Downs.
The rifle contingent adds its own Olympic shine. Sagen Maddalena, silver medalist in women’s 50m 3-position rifle at Paris 2024, continues a steady rise that has made her one of the discipline’s most technically precise performers. Mary Tucker, who earned mixed team air rifle silver with Lucas Kozeniesky at the Tokyo 2020 Games, enters the week with the poise of a shooter who has already found success under the heaviest lights.
The ISSF World Cup Final remains an exclusive event—an end-of-season summit where qualification runs through ISSF World Cup victories or the year’s ranking points. Every athlete on the start lists arrives because they won something meaningful or accumulated enough consistency to earn a spot. Finals in all events will follow current ISSF rules, with medalists collecting prize money and, more importantly for many, a marker for where they stand heading into 2026.
For Team USA, the week is less about pressure and more about timing. The shooters who have already proven themselves on international podiums are using Doha as confirmation that their form still holds. Younger athletes, or those rising from strong performances this season, see it as a chance to measure themselves against the elite fields the ISSF World Cup Final produces.
The roster showcases a compelling mix of experience and emerging talent: Sam Simonton, Dania Vizzi, Kim Rhode, and Vincent Hancock represent the women’s and men’s skeet categories, while Sagen Maddalena and Mary Tucker demonstrate the prowess of the rifle teams. Each athlete has a unique journey that has brought them to this prestigious setting, and their collective experience underscores the maturity and depth of the U.S. shooting program.
As Doha becomes the stage for this grand finale, all eyes are watching to see how these athletes perform under the pressing gaze of an international audience.
This week promises to be a testament to American shooting talent and a showcase of camaraderie among competitors. The culmination of hard work and dedication that characterizes the ISSF World Cup Final is a reflection not just of personal success, but of the advancements in shooting sports across the U.S. With a mix of veterans vying for medals and younger competitors aiming to carve a niche for themselves on this grand stage, the event highlights the evolving landscape of competitive shooting.
In conclusion, the 2025 ISSF World Cup Final in Doha is more than just a competition; it symbolizes the relentless spirit of American athletes. It’s a chance not only to shine but to affirm their place among the world's best. As Team USA competes, the implications for future competitions and the broader shooting community are enormous, reflecting growth, potential, and the ever-relevant pursuit of excellence in sport. Based on the outcomes observed in Doha, there's little doubt that the trajectory for U.S. shooting athletes is poised for further ascension.
The ISSF World Cup Final in Doha serves as a significant benchmark not just for current performance but for future Olympic aspirations. As early reports suggest, the combination of established stars and rising competitors adds layers of complexity and intrigue to the event. For the shooting community, the success or challenges faced in Doha will provide crucial insights into training, strategy and the evolving nature of competitive shooting. As Team USA competes, all eyes will be watching closely to understand the implications for the 2026 Olympic year, further emphasizing the delicate balance between tradition and innovation within the sport.