Kim Min Su shoots 662 to break recurve men’s para world record
Korea’s Kim Min Su broke the recurve men’s open world record with 662 out of a possible 720 points for the 72-arrow 70-metre ranking round in ’s-Hertogenbosch.
Both he and Iran’s Pouriya Jalalipour, who shot 658, broke Bato Tsydendorzhiev’s previous record of 655 points at these World Archery Para Championships. Kim’s seven-point increase will stand.
“I didn’t expect I would break the world record. I was just following my coach’s instructions and trying to do what I did in practice and I set the record,” said Kim. “It feels really good. On the other hand, it’s a bit like I don't know what happened.”
The 20-year-old has rising objectives at this, his second para worlds. Arriving in the Netherlands, the young Korean archer wanted a place for Tokyo 2020 – but after such a promising start to the competition, he’s added three more targets.
“I would like to reach gold in every competition I take part: in recurve men, recurve team and mixed, as well,” he said.
Min Su is one of the youngest participants of these championships. Born in 1999, he has been in a wheelchair since 2009.
“After I got disabled, I wanted to find some sport for people with disabilities. Archery is the only thing I would like to do. I feel a lot of happiness, that's why I chose it,” he said.
Kim made his debut at the Paralympic Games in Rio in 2016. He was also the bronze medallist at the Asian Para Games in 2018.
Wang Sijun, former world record holder Tsydendorzhiev, Zhao Lixue, Anton Ziapaev and Guillaume Toucoullet completed the top eight.
Korea, China and Russia seem top contenders after taking six of the first eight seeds. But Iran is also in the mix – after ranking second as a team, behind China but ahead of Russia.
There is also an unknown factor as we head to eliminations.
Two of the three archers from Kazakhstan missed the first half of qualification as their luggage did not arrive and they didn’t have their bows. Alexandr Ryabov’s gear did make it.
“We arrived yesterday, he has received his luggage today but we still haven’t,” they said.
Kairat Sarkulov and Aibek Yeskarayev borrowed some arrows and their teammate’s bow to record some scores. They were passing the bow down the line during the round. Archers only need to score a single arrow to progress to the head-to-head phase of the competition.
The Kazakh athletes will shoot eliminations – but enter as the two lowest seeds.
The 2019 Hyundai World Archery Championships take place on 10-16 June and World Archery Para Championships on 3-9 June in ’s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
