This study investigates the effect of caffeine on concentration and performance in the 10 m Air Rifle - Standing position. It focused on measuring total aiming time and performance results under two conditions: without caffeine and after consuming 220 ml of coffee, containing approximately 90 milligrams of caffeine (from 7 g of coffee powder). This method was elected to reflect caffeine intake from coffee while minimizing the risk of unintentional doping violations. Measurements included individual performance assessments and the time taken from aiming to shot release: participants completed 3 sets of 24 shots under the influence of caffeine and 3 sets without caffeine (totaling 864 shots per condition). Thus, we evaluated 864 shots with caffeine and 864 shots without caffeine. The research sample consisted of 12 competitive sport shooters classified in the first and master categories. An ex post facto intra-individual and inter-subject research design was employed to assess differences in mean values of total aiming time with and without caffeine intake. To determine the statistical significance of these differences, the nonparametric Wilcoxon T-test for dependent samples was used. This analysis revealed a significant difference in total aiming time under the influence of caffeine compared to without it. Data were collected using a stopwatch and specialized electronic target systems designed to measure and evaluate shooting performance. The results were recorded in graphs and tables, including graphs showing the individual shot values for visual clarity. The graphs illustrate the difference in the size of shot dispersion with and without caffeine. Based on the individual shot values and their differences across total aiming time, we found an association between caffeine and non-caffeine conditions. A more significant change in total aiming time was observed for shooters who do not normally drink caffeinated coffee. Otherwise, shooting performance values did not change in most shooters. Therefore, the results of this study indicate that caffeine has a highly individual effect on shooting performance and there is no direct impact on shot score values.
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