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Historic Milestone for IPSC at the SEA Games Thailand 2025

by | Dec 18, 2025 | News and Announcements

Historic Milestone for IPSC at the SEA Games Thailand 2025

 

The 33rd edition of the multi-sport event 2025 SEA Games in Thailand run from 9-20 December, featuring 13,657 athletes from 10 Southeast Asian countries across 50 sports, both traditional and Olympic, hosted in Bangkok and Chonburi.

 

For the very first time in IPSC history, practical shooting took center stage at a major international multi-sport event—the 2025 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand!

 

This wasn’t just another match. IPSC competed as part of the International Zone Competition, held every two years under the umbrella of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)—marking our first-ever participation alongside Olympic-recognized international federations. The next edition will be in Malaysia in 2027.

 

Here’s what made this debut truly special:

 

  • 18 meticulously designed stages—6 each designed by IPSC regions: Thailand, Philippines, and Indonesia
  • 65 IPSC top athletes (men and ladies) representing 5 nations: Thailand, Philippines, Laos, Indonesia, and Malaysia
  • A uniquely structured format, tailored for fairness and preparation

 

Key Innovations & Differences from Standard IPSC Matches:

 

  • Full stages design released 6 months in advance—with exact measurements for distances, wall heights, door widths, and port sizes. Athletes could rebuild these stages at their home ranges to train with precision long before arriving in Thailand.
  • 2-hour full course walk-through before the match—giving every competitor equal opportunity to visualize and plan.
  • Scoring process: After shooting the stage, each athlete walked the stage with the Range Officer to review every target hit and confirm their score before signing the electronic score sheet. A level of accountability rarely possible in large IPSC matches with a big number of participants.
  • IPSC’s own Electronic Scoring System (ESS) was used—ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and real-time results.
  • And our favorite touch: Instead of shouting “QUIET PLEASE!”—Range Officers simply raised a printed banner. Silent and effective!

 

One notable restriction: No swingers or moving targets were allowed. Olympic officials required that all stages be fully replicable at the hoe ranges of competitors and predictable to them for equal training before the competition, so dynamic elements were excluded.

While we missed that extra layer of challenge, IPSC fully respects the goal of standardized, equitable preparation for all athletes.

 

This debut wasn’t just about medals—it was about visibility, legitimacy, and the future of practical shooting on the global sports stage.

 

IPSC extends its huge congratulations to every athlete, official, and IPSC Regions who helped make this historic moment possible. You have paved the way for IPSC to grow beyond our community and into the wider world of international sport.

 

From Thailand 2025 — to Malaysia 2027! 🥇

 

 

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