Two throwing machines at different heights launch a series of 25 targets in a specific order, some as singles and some as doubles, with the shooter having a fixed position between them.

The top six competitors shoot an additional series as a final round, on targets filled with special powder to show hits more clearly to the audience.

Under no circumstances must the gun be moved until the clay is released, or the shooter will face disqualification.

[2] A decision to separate men's and women's skeet shooting had been made in December 1991, and in April 1992 the International Shooting Sport Federation decided to eliminate women from both trap and skeet due to a lack of competitors.

[3][4][5] According to the Federation, the decision was taken "to allow more places for well-qualified men;" trap and skeet events had used a quota system since 1952, which stated no country could field more than two competitors of any gender, and the 1988 Olympic games eliminated the per-country quotas in favor of limiting both events to the top six women and top 48-52 men.