Rushed from success to success in 2023, 29-year-old Doreen Vennekamp shares insights on her Paris dreams

In 2023, Germany's talented 25m pistol shooter, Doreen Vennekamp left an incredible mark on the sport. At the age of 28, she jumped to new heights, equaling the world record of 40 to clinch her first world title.

This was just the beginning of an extraordinary journey of Vennekamp as she also earned European Games bronze and World Cup Final silver before being voted as ISSF Female Athlete of the Year. Vennekamp won gold at the opening World Cup of the Olympic season in Cairo.

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Doreen Vennekamp made 40 out of 50 shots in the final, equalling Veronika Major's world record from 2019, to clinch gold ahead of Ukraine's Olena Kostevych with Agate Rasmane of Latvia taking the bronze. 

Vennekamp had an incredible year in 2023

Remembering of her phenomenal year of 2023, the shooter attributed her success to a peak of experience and self-confidence. Venneka Doreenmp said, "Yes, it was an incredible year. The year 2022 gave me a lot of experience. I got used to shoot finals and was happy to win some medals, including the European title. So I had a good mindset for the year 2023. That self-confidence paid off during the whole season."

Doreen Vennekamp achieved a special award, the first to be given out since 2017

Doreen Vennekamp also received the World Sports Shooter of the Year 2023 Award from the International Shooting Sports Federation ISSF.

The 29-year-old pistol shooter prevailed ahead of skeet world champion Danka Bartekova (SVK) and rifle shooters Jeanette Duestad-Hegg (NOR) and Jiayu Han (CHN), who had the same points. After the election took place from 1984 to 2017, it was brought back to life by the ISSF Athletes Committee after a five-year break. 

"I am overwhelmed. I didn't know that the awarding would be held again after many years of no nominations for this title. I always loved the idea of celebrating an  outstanding year of an athlete or representing the spirit of sportsmanship. I still cannot believe, that I was chosen from so many amazing athletes with incredible seasons." Vennekamp added. 

'One day I joined in and I have never left shooting since'

Vennekamp had started shooting through a fun competition in her hometown shooting club and she has never left shooting since. "My hometown shooting club started a fun competition. Everybody in the town could come along and try shooting. You could also win some prizes. One day I joined in and I have never left shooting since. I think the most satisfying thing in shooting is to deal with your mind. You have to deal with you thoughts and you own faults. Again and again."

Also Read: Manu Bhaker shatters world record by topping women’s 25m pistol qualification

'In Tokyo I achieved seventh place'

Looking ahead to Paris Olympics 2024, the German shooter is aiming to improve upon her seventh-place finish in Tokyo. She wants to build on the great successes in Paris. Aware of the competition posed by rivals such as Veronika Major, Feng Sixuan, and Zhao Nan, she relishes the opportunity to compete against the best in the world.