Kang Chae Young tips Casey Kaufhold for Olympic future after Nimes final

Kang Chae Young beat 14-year-old Casey Kaufhold in the recurve women’s gold medal match at the Nimes Archery Tournament, the fourth event of the 2019 Indoor Archery  World Series, but was complimentary of her young opponent after the match.

“I’m amazed at how she was able to make the finals at such a young age,” said Kang Chae Young.

“I really think she’ll continue to be a great archer in the future. I’m sure we’ll see her at the Olympics one day and I’ll be cheering for her when that day comes.”

It’s the second consecutive event that Kaufhold has lost in eliminations to the outdoor world record holder but that hasn’t dampened the US archer’s expectations.

“It’s cool to shoot on these big stages with adults because I’m just a kid here in a final,” she said.

“I thought I was going to be super nervous and super shaky but it wasn’t that bad. I just had a lot of fun and performed the crowd like I always wanted to.”

Kang, still only 22, made her debut for the Korean team when she was 18 at an Archery World Cup season opener in Shanghai in 2015, where she won gold medals in the individual, team and mixed team competitions.

Kaufhold, who has not yet shot as a senior for the USA, won the opening leg of the Indoor Archery World Series in Luxembourg after shooting a cadet world record of 589 out of 600 points in qualification.

A spot on the outdoor circuit is something the talented young archer has firmly set her sights on.

“What makes me good at archery is, I think, goal setting, because when I set a goal I don’t stop until I achieve it,” said Casey. “This was one of my big goals and it feels really good to have come here and got a medal [in Nimes].”

The USA has a history of producing particularly young archery Olympians. Denise Parker was 14 when she won a team bronze medal at Seoul 1988.

Lee Seungyun, Braden Gellenthien and Janine Meissner also won titles at the 2019 Nimes Archery Tournament.

Seungyun, who won the World Archery Championships for Korea in 2013, stood out in the arena, wearing only a casual t-shirt while other finalists sported sponsor or team outfits.

“I just recently switched professional teams and my new uniform isn’t ready yet,” he explained. Lee previously shot for Kolon X10 Boys but now represents Seoul City Hall.

Nimes was his first international indoor event.

The Nimes Archery Tournament is the fourth stage of the 2019 Indoor Archery World Series.