Leading Aircraftwoman Sascha Kroopin is one straight shooter.

The elite athlete has her sights set on selection for 10m air pistol shooting at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, but is modest about her chances, despite her impressive track record in the sport.

“Selection is based on scores and performance, and there’s only one quota allocated to each position at the Olympics, so it’s highly competitive,” Leading Aircraftwoman Kroopin said. 

“There’s a series of domestic competitions, followed by an international competition to fill the quotas for the Australian team, so I wouldn’t put money on being selected as I don’t know what the years leading up to it will bring. 

“I will just focus on my career and do my best.” 

After nearly a decade competing at the national level, the carpenter from 24 Squadron, RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia, narrowly missed selection for the Paris Olympics in 2024 and the Rio Olympics in 2016. She only took time off from qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 to join the Air Force.

Growing up on a farm in Bowral, NSW, she became involved in the sport at a young age.

“I started competing at 14 and have been in the national team since 15, so was thrown in the deep end pretty early,” she said.

“My dad was a pistol coach for NSW Juniors, so he introduced me to pistol shooting and the range, and the rest, as they say, is history.”

'They say it’s 90 per cent mental and 10 per cent physical, which is so true.'

Leading Aircraftwoman Kroopin’s training regime involves intensive practice sessions up to five days a week at her local pistol club near RAAF Base Edinburgh. 

“Training involves a lot of technical work and competition, control matches and exposure to all kinds of different factors and stress, so it’s quite demanding,” she said.

“Pistol shooting is an individual sport, so everything relies on you. You’re the main motivator and the only one on the line.

“They say it’s 90 per cent mental and 10 per cent physical, which is so true. It really tests your patience, your mental abilities and your physical abilities, but it’s also a great way to see how capable you are of overcoming challenges.”

Now well into the four-year Olympic qualification cycle for Los Angeles, Leading Aircraftwoman Kroopin said watching the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games has been an additional motivator as she also competes in ADF biathlons as part of her training. 

“The Biathlon Australia Nationals coincide with the annual ADF biathlon exercise in August, so ADF biathlon team members get a lot of exposure to that league of competitors,” she said. 

“Last year, we got to watch the best of Australia’s athletes compete for positions in this year’s Winter Olympics.

“Hopefully the Winter Olympics has also encouraged other Defence members to consider competing in ADF biathlon, or even ADF clay shooting, which is super cool. 

“I really want to emphasise that these opportunities exist and anyone in the ADF can apply, even if they have never shot or skied competitively before.”

Regardless of her bid for Olympic selection, she sees herself involved in the discipline for life.

“With athletic sports, most people retire after their 30s, but with shooting, it’s not a sport that you fade out of based on your age. You could be setting records at 19 or 50, and that’s pretty awesome,” Leading Aircraftwoman Kroopin said.

“I would recommend the sport to anyone – find a local club and go for a tryout.”