Kim Woojin beats Lee Woo Seok to win third World Cup crown in Samsun

Kim Woojin beat young Korean teammate Lee Woo Seok, 7-3, in the recurve men’s gold medal match at the 2018 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final in Samsun, Turkey to secure his third champion title on the circuit after the season-ending events in Tokyo in 2012 and Rome in 2017.

“It was a tough moment and I couldn’t deliver my best throughout the whole match but finally I got a good result so I’m very happy,” said Kim. “I’d like to repeat as World Cup Champion next year again.”

Lee qualified for Samsun by beating Kim to gold at the stage of the tour in Antalya.

Since then, he’s lost two major finals to his veteran teammate; first, at the Asian Games in Jakarta and now at this Hyundai Archery World Cup Final.

“I need more confidence to beat Kim Woojin. This competition started in Antalya, where I had enough confidence, but when I lost at the Asian Games I lost some of my confidence,” said Lee.

“I wasn’t sure I could beat him this time. If I get another chance, I should be better prepared.”

Kim beat world number one Steve Wijler of the Netherlands in the first round, Australia’s Taylor Worth in the semifinals, and then stepped out in the finals arena one last time with teammate Lee.

Sticking to his own prediction of either he or Brady Ellison taking gold, Woojin led from the beginning to the end of the five-set match.

Woo Seok looked to be mounting a comeback when he shot a perfect 30 in the fourth set to pull the score to 5-3, but Kim delivered his own unbeatable 10-10-10 in the fifth to leave the result out of question. He won it, 7-3.

“I knew if I’d shoot nine points [with my last arrow] then I’d win the match. I didn’t feel much pressure and that brought a better result,” said Kim, who finishes an up-and-down international season – in his own words – with a definite up.

“There are more competitions in Korea so I will concentrate on that and then, when the season finishes, I’d really like to go on vacation.”

Lee Woo Seok finishes his debut international season as a full-time member of the Korean senior squad with podiums at all five major events – three Hyundai Archery World Cup stages and the Final, and the Asian Games – he attended.

The recurve men’s bronze medal match between four-time Hyundai Archery World Cup Final Champion Brady Ellison and Australia’s Taylor Worth went the full five sets and even further.

Brady delivered a 10 in the shoot-off to beat Taylor’s nine and collect yet another podium finish at this tournament.

“The shooting this year in the men’s recurve at the World Cup Final has been ridiculous,” said Brady. “We all shot so well. I think it’s just gonna get better and better and harder and harder.”

After Sara Lopez’s win in the compound women’s competition on Saturday in Samsun, has drawn level with Brady for the most career wins at the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final; both have four.

“I’m happy for her but I’m mad at her at the same time,” added Ellison. “Good shooting Sara.”

The 2018 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final takes place on 29-30 September in Samsun, Turkey.