Youth Olympians break into Korean top team for 2018

Following years of threatening to break into the top team, Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympians Lee Woo Seok and Lee Eun Gyeong, both 20 years of age, have been selected to shoot for Korea on the 2018 Hyundai Archery World Cup circuit.

The pair finished second in their respective selections, which concluded in Yecheon on 16 April.

“I’m so happy to be joining the top four,” said Eun Gyeong. “I want to be in the top three in the team ahead of the Asian Games in Jakarta, though, so I’ll need to keep concentrating on my performance at the upcoming world cups.”

World record holder Kim Woojin led most of the way in the men’s ranking, followed closely by Woo Seok, with London 2012 Olympic Champion Oh Jin Hyek in third and reigning World Archery Champion Im Dong Hyun fourth.

Chang Hye Jin, the reigning Olympic Champion from Rio in 2016, was the top woman; she had a lower average arrow than Eun Gyeong but received bonus points for the Olympic title to push her into first. 

Kang Chae Young was third and in fourth was former world number one Jung Dasomi, the defending Asian Games Champion who last shot for Korea back in 2014.

It is expected that these eight archers will also represent the continental pacesetting nation at the Asian Games in Jakarta, with further selections only to determine which three of the four of each gender will participate in the team event.

Recurve women

(Ranked by order after final selection tournaments.)

1. Chang Hye Jin – Reigning Olympic Champion from Rio 2016 and runner up at last World Archery Championships. 

2. Lee Eun Gyeong – Bronze medallist at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.

3. Kang Chae Young – Winner of the 2017 Universiade in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei.

4. Jung Dasomi – Winner of the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, Korea.

Squad: Choi Minsun, An San, Choi Misun, Park Mi Kyung

Recurve men

(Ranked by order after final selection tournaments.)

1. Kim Woojin – Two-time World Archery Champion (2011, 2013) and 70-metre world record holder (700/720 points).

2. Lee Woo Seok – Winner of the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.

3. Oh Jin Hyek – Winner of the 2012 Olympic Games and 2014 Asian Games.

4. Im Dong Hyun – Two-time World Archery Champion (2007, 2017) and member of Korean squad for 16 years.

Squad: Shin Jae Hoon, Tae Young Jung, Kim Gyu-Chan, Bae Jae Hyun

A full Korean squad of both recurve and compound athletes is scheduled to compete at the first stage of the 2018 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Shanghai.

The first stage of the Hyundai Archery World Cup will take place in Shanghai, China on 23-29 April.