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South Korea’s archery dynasty
For the female archers of South Korea, Olympic gold medals are like family heirlooms - passed down from one generation of competitors to the next.
Updated : Sep 18, 2017, 11:20 PM IST
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The country has won every gold medal in women’s archery since 1984
SEOUL: For the female archers of South Korea, Olympic gold medals are like family heirlooms - passed down from one generation of competitors to the next. South Korea has created one of the great Olympic dynasties by winning every gold medal in women’s archery since the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. They are heavy favourites to extend their streak to a seventh consecutive Games in Beijing.
The Athens Olympic champion Park Sung Hyun and Yoon Ok Hee are expected to vie for gold in the individual event, while in the women’s team competition South Korea appears untouchable.
The athletes are confident about their chances in Beijing, but are under no illusions about what the South Korean people expect of them. Anything less than a sweep will be construed as failure. “If we win two gold medals, they say it’s expected. If we don’t win two, they will be disappointed,” said 23-year-old Yoon.
Korean women hold every world record in the outdoor recurve discipline, the standard used at the Olympics. Kim Soo Nyung, who won four Olympic gold medals, said the current team was still the best in the world.
The National Training Center in Taeneung has been instrumental in making South Korea a force in sport and producing athletes capable of putting the country in the top 10 of the medals table in Beijing.
One of the innovations for the upcoming Games was to remodel the practice grounds to recreate the Olympic venue, complete with mock seating and spectators. Coaches shout in the stands to get the archers accustomed to distractions from the crowd, even blaring music to interrupt their concentration. It seldom does.
Yoon said Korean women were dextrous because of heightened sensitivity in their fingers, making them more adept at “feel” sports. Perhaps that theory might explain why South Korea continues to produce an abundance of top-class women golfers.
“Our fingertips, descended from our ancestors, and our spiritual strength and willingness to fight until the very end - they are the secrets,” Yoon said.
