South Korea captured the silver medal in archery's compound mixed team event at the Asian Games on Wednesday, the first medal of what the country hopes will be many in China.
The duo of So Chae-won and Joo Jae-hoon lost to Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Ojas Pravin Deotale of India 159-158 for the silver medal at Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre in Hangzhou.
South Korean archers So Chae-won (L) and Joo Jae-hoon smile during the victory ceremony after winning silver in the compound mixed team event at the Asian Games at Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre in Hangzhou, China, on Oct. 4, 2023. (Yonhap)
South Korean archers So Chae-won (L) and Joo Jae-hoon smile during the victory ceremony after winning silver in the compound mixed team event at the Asian Games at Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre in Hangzhou, China, on Oct. 4, 2023. (Yonhap)
This was the first archery final at the ongoing Asian Games, with the final in the recurve mixed team event scheduled for later Wednesday, followed by team and individual events in both compound and recurve disciplines on the way this week.
South Korean archers So Chae-won (L) and Joo Jae-hoon compete in the final of the compound mixed team event at the Asian Games at Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre in Hangzhou, China, on Oct. 4, 2023. (Yonhap)
South Korean archers So Chae-won (L) and Joo Jae-hoon compete in the final of the compound mixed team event at the Asian Games at Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre in Hangzhou, China, on Oct. 4, 2023. (Yonhap)
This is So's third career Asian Games medal. She won gold in the women's team event and silver in the mixed team event in 2018. Joo won his first career Asiad medal in his debut at the continental competition.
So has reached the women's individual final scheduled for Saturday, while Joo will face teammate Yang Jae-won in the men's individual bronze medal match on the same day.
South Korean archer So Chae-won competes in the final of the compound mixed team event at the Asian Games at Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre in Hangzhou, China, on Oct. 4, 2023. (Yonhap)
South Korean archer So Chae-won competes in the final of the compound mixed team event at the Asian Games at Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre in Hangzhou, China, on Oct. 4, 2023. (Yonhap)
Cumulative scoring determines the winner in the compound mixed team event. Each archer takes two arrows per "end," for a total of four arrows and a maximum of 40 points per end for each team. The team with more points after four ends wins.
South Korea and India were tied at 119 through three ends. India took the first end 40-39, and both teams put up 40s in the second end. South Korea then claimed the third end 40-39.
The Indian team posted a perfect 40 in the fourth end, but South Korea had 39, with So hitting a 9 with her first arrow of the final end.
South Korean archer Joo Jae-hoon competes in the final of the compound mixed team event at the Asian Games at Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre in Hangzhou, China, on Oct. 4, 2023. (Yonhap)
South Korean archer Joo Jae-hoon competes in the final of the compound mixed team event at the Asian Games at Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre in Hangzhou, China, on Oct. 4, 2023. (Yonhap)
"It's nice to get the ball rolling for archery, winning this medal in the first final here," So said. "The mixed team event is always tough because everyone competes at a high level, and there's almost no room for mistake. I am sorry that I didn't perform as well as Jae-hoon."
Joo, a part-time archer who is on unpaid leave from his day job as a security guard, added, "This was not an easy match. I think we did as well as we could have, and we're happy with this result."
The compound competition is different from the recurve event in that the targets are 50 meters away, 20 meters closer than recurve. Compound bows use magnified sights that allow archers to be more precise.
Source: Yonhap News Agency