In precision sports such as shooting, the difference between victory and defeat can be measured in fractions of a point. While technical ability and equipment are essential, athletes and coaches widely agree that mental preparation often determines the final outcome.
At the highest level of competition, many shooters possess similar technical skills and access to world-class equipment. What frequently separates medalists from the rest of the field is the ability to access those skills under pressure.
One athlete who knows this challenge well is Anna Janssen, a 24-year-old rifle competitor representing Germany. Janssen has established herself among the world’s leading shooters, collecting numerous international medals, including three ISSF World Championship medals and 13 ISSF World Cup medals.
For Janssen, mental preparation is not secondary to physical or technical training.
“Mental preparation is at least as important as technical and physical training,” she explains. “At the elite level most athletes have very similar technical skills and equipment. What often makes the difference in a final is who can access these skills under pressure, manage anxiety, and make good decisions shot after shot.”
She describes mental training as a third pillar of performance, alongside technical mastery and physical conditioning.
This psychological strength becomes particularly important during ISSF finals, where the competition format places athletes under constant pressure.
“ISSF finals are mentally very demanding because every single shot can change your position on the leaderboard,” Janssen says. “After the first series, eliminations begin and you shoot knowing that one weak shot can mean leaving the final.”
At the same time, athletes must remain aware of the scoreboard, the cameras, and the audience, while still focusing completely on their shooting process.
Maintaining this balance between awareness and concentration is what makes shooting sport one of the most mentally demanding disciplines in international sport.
