Settings

ⓕ font-size

  • -2
  • -1
  • 0
  • +1
  • +2

Teen archer Kim Je-deok loses bid for 3rd gold medal

  • Facebook share button
  • Twitter share button
  • Kakao share button
  • Mail share button
  • Link share button
Korean archer Kim Je-deok expresses disappointment after losing to Florian Unruh of Germany in Tokyo on July 27. Yonhap
Korean archer Kim Je-deok expresses disappointment after losing to Florian Unruh of Germany in Tokyo on July 27. Yonhap
South Korean double archery gold medalist Kim Je-deok lost his bid for an unprecedented third gold medal Tuesday, as he took an early exit from the individual event.

Kim lost to Florian Unruh of Germany by the set score of 7-3 in the round of 32.

Archers each shoot three arrows per set. A set win is worth two points and a tie is good for one point. The first to six points is the winner.

Kim won the first set with a perfect score of 30 but didn't win another set.

The two archers each bagged a point after both shot 27s in the second set. Unruh then beat Kim 28-27 in the third set to draw even in the set score at 3-3. The German claimed the next set with a 27-26 edge, and clinched the upset victory with a 29-28 win in the fifth set.

Kim had earlier won gold medals in the mixed team and then the men's team events. The mixed team event made its Olympic debut in Tokyo, and the 17-year-old Kim was trying to become the first archer ever to win three gold medals in a single Olympics.

Kim said he shed tears after the loss, saying something that had been bothering him had finally got to him.

"This may have been due to pressure or some factors that I couldn't control," Kim said, his eyes still puffy. "In the team event, I could lean on my teammates and follow their lead. I was all alone today, and I only had myself to trust. Something was missing."

Kim said he found himself rushing his shots and never got into a proper rhythm. He also had trouble reading the direction or speed of the wind.

"I panicked because the wind was a lot more confusing than during earlier events," he said. "I was in a scrambling mode and the next thing I knew, the match was over. I realized I have to be quicker on my feet in figuring out all those different elements."

Kim said his biggest goal was to share the men's team gold medal with teammates Oh Jin-hyek and Kim Woo-jin. He felt any individual success would be gravy but added, "It is still disappointing to lose."

"This could be my last Olympics, but I will try to pounce on whatever opportunity that comes my way," Kim said. "I will accept this defeat as part of my growing process. It's all over now and I am relieved."

An San, who worked with Kim to take the mixed team gold and then captured the women's team gold, also has a chance to grab three gold medals. An's individual competition begins Thursday in the round of 64. (Yonhap)



Kim Jae-heun jhkim@koreatimes.co.kr


X
CLOSE

Top 10 Stories

go top LETTER