▁international ▁victory . ▁ ▁The ▁distance ▁of ▁the ▁Free ▁P istol ▁event ▁was ▁ 3 0 ▁met re ▁initially . ▁ ▁This ▁was ▁because ▁ 3 0 ▁met re ▁was ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁German ▁Championship , ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁competition ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁ ▁Starting ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁Olympics , ▁which ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁world ▁championship ▁for ▁Free ▁P istol , ▁the ▁distance ▁was ▁set ▁at ▁ 5 0 ▁met re . ▁ ▁Both ▁the ▁distance ▁and ▁the ▁target ▁remained ▁the ▁same ▁to ▁this ▁day , ▁with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 8 ▁Olympics ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁distance ▁changed ▁from ▁ 5 0 ▁met re ▁to ▁ 5 0 ▁yards . ▁ ▁Free ▁P istol ▁was ▁not ▁held ▁between ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁Olympics . ▁ ▁This ▁is ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁per ception ▁of ▁the ▁time ▁that ▁p istol ▁shoot ers , ▁especially ▁in ▁free ▁p istol , ▁were ▁profession als ▁who ▁competed ▁in ▁tournament s ▁which ▁awarded ▁pri zed ▁money . ▁The ▁strict ▁amateur ▁status ▁required ▁by ▁the ▁IO C ▁ran ▁counter ▁against ▁U IT ▁( I SS F ) ▁and ▁the ▁money ▁and ▁medal ▁award ing ▁system ▁of ▁the ▁ ▁target ▁p istol ▁shooting ▁competition ▁tradition . ▁The ▁best ▁shoot ers ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁such ▁as ▁Wilhelm ▁Sch ny der ▁and ▁his ▁Swiss ▁team m ates ▁with ▁their ▁H äu pt li ▁p ist ols ▁would ▁domin ate ▁the ▁world ▁champion ships ,