Richard Flynn competed in the men’s trap shooting at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, finishing 15th of 44 competitors with 179 kills from 200 targets. Heavy winds made conditions particularly disturbing throughout the competition, while the dull yellow colour of the targets blended into the background of sun-scorched grass creating a camouflage effect. As a result, the final scores were the lowest recorded since the event was extended to 200 targets in 1952.

Flynn adjusted very well to these complications and reached the shooting qualification score of 185 out of 200 prior to the Games. He finished 11 targets behind the winner, Donald Haldeman of the USA. Irish shooters at the time were, ‘the purest of amateurs competing in an environment in which sponsorship and commercial support for leading shooters had become the norm.’