After topping men's qualifiers, trio of archery aces set to aim for bullseye at Asian Games 작성일 04-22 22 목록 <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/04/22/0000087394_001_20260422172015254.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">From left: Kim Woo-jin, Lee Woo-seok and Kim Je-deok pose for a photograph after securing their spots to compete at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games following qualifiers in Yecheon, North Gyeongsang, on April 17. [KOREA ARCHERY ASSOCIATION]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> The deadeye trio of Korean archers — Kim Woo-jin, Lee Woo-seok and Kim Je-deok — will aim for gold at the upcoming 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in the fall. <br> <br> While the first three rounds shortlist eight national athletes per discipline, the following two rounds decide key players who will compete in major international games, including the Olympics and Asian Games. Over the course of nearly seven months, athletes shoot thousands of arrows. <br><br>Archer An San, who earned three gold medals in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, placed fifth and missed her chance to compete in the upcoming Asian Games. Lim Si-hyeon, who claimed three gold medals at both the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023 and the 2024 Paris Olympics, failed to make the national team. <br> <br> Unlike the completely reshuffled women’s team, the men’s team retained all three members who won gold at the Archery Men's Team event at the Paris Olympics two years ago. <br> <br> <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/04/22/0000087394_002_20260422172015382.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Archer Kim Woo-jin [KOREA ARCHERY ASSOCIATION]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> Kim Woo-jin and Kim Je-deok finished first and second in the latest domestic qualifiers, respectively. Lee took the final spot, edging out Seo Min-gi in a tight contest with his last arrow. <br> <br> “I had received a zero-point penalty twice due to overtime during the evaluations, which made qualifiers more challenging,” Lee said. “Yet, I managed to overcome it.” <br> <br> “Rather than being satisfied with the current results, I will prepare thoroughly for the Asian Games in September and do my best to deliver great performances.” <br> <br> <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/04/22/0000087394_003_20260422172015523.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Archer Kim Je-deok [KOREA ARCHERY ASSOCIATION]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> The trio’s history runs deep. <br> <br> At the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games, Kim Woo-jin and Lee won gold and silver in individual events, respectively. At the Tokyo Olympics, then-high schooler Kim Je-deok teamed up with Oh Jin-hyek and Kim Woo-jin to win team gold. <br> <br> At the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, the two Kims, Lee and Oh all competed. Among them, Oh, Lee and Kim Je-deok secured gold in the male team event. <br> <br> Although the Asian Games roster has been reduced by one athlete for the upcoming game, Kim Woo-jin, Lee Woo-seok and Kim Je-deok all secured a spot. <br> <br> “Since only three spots were available from the start, it was even tougher,” Lee Woo-seok said. “But I think it will be good for practicing team games.” <br> <br> The eldest of the trio, Kim Woo-jin, praised his younger teammates. “I’ve watched Kim Je-deok’s growth closely,” the 33-year-old said of his 22-year-old teammate. “He deserves to be called the ace of Korean archery. Lee is already a seasoned and competent player.” <br> <br> “As I’ve been given a valuable opportunity, I’ll do my job well as the middle man and bring a gold medal back home,” Lee, who is 28, said. <br> <br> <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/04/22/0000087394_004_20260422172015679.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Archer Lee Woo-seok [KOREA ARCHERY ASSOCIATION]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> The three are the best of teammates and fierce rivals at the same time. <br> <br> During a shoot-off in the national qualifiers, Kim Woo-jin reportedly said to Kim Je-deok that he was “unbelievably tenacious,” but also serves as a “relentless brother” to the younger archer, who has yet to win a gold in the individual segment. <br> <br> The trio will also have strong support from coach Oh Jin-hyek, a retired veteran who earned three Olympic medals — two golds and one bronze. <br> <br> “I’m happy to be with coach Oh,” Lee said with a smile. “I will learn a lot from him.” <br> <br> “I can talk to him comfortably — like an older brother — about things I’ve kept to myself,” Kim Je-deok said. <br> <br> Oh vowed to “help the trio play comfortably in their matches.” <br> <br> “They are better athletes than I was, so I’ll focus on helping them enjoy their training,” he said. <br><br><i>This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.</i> 관련자료 이전 충주시, 스페인서 '택견' 보급 활동…전수관 설립도 추진 04-22 다음 아이스하키협회 유소년 클럽리그, 스포츠클럽 디비전 사업 선정 04-22 댓글 0 등록된 댓글이 없습니다. 로그인한 회원만 댓글 등록이 가능합니다.
