South Korea's archery team, known as the world's strongest, is targeting a sweep of 10 gold medals at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
The archery team, consisting of 12 athletes in recurve and compound categories, will begin ranking rounds on the 26th and compete for medals at the multipurpose plaza in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture, until October 3.
This competition features a total of 10 gold medals across five events each for men and women in both individual and team categories, as well as mixed team events.
The team arrived in Japan on the 22nd to finalize their preparations. They previously conducted training in Okazaki and held a public practice session at Gwangju KIA Champions Field.
Historically, South Korea has dominated archery, winning all gold medals in the recurve events at the 1990 Beijing, 1998 Bangkok, 2006 Doha, and 2010 Guangzhou Games. However, since the compound events were officially included in the 2014 Incheon Games, they have not achieved a complete sweep.
At the last Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023, South Korea secured four out of five gold medals in recurve but lost all five compound golds to India, finishing second in the overall medal standings.
The recurve team aims to reclaim the men's individual title lost in Hangzhou and continue the momentum from their five gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Recurve events are conducted at a distance of 70 meters using a set system, where winning a set earns 2 points, and ties earn 1 point. The individual event consists of five sets (three arrows per set), while team events have four sets (six arrows) and mixed events have four sets (four arrows).
In the men's division, Kim Woo-jin, Lee Woo-seok, and Kim Je-deok will reunite. The trio previously collaborated to win gold medals at the 2023 Berlin World Championships, the 2024 Paris Olympics, and the 2025 Gwangju World Championships.
In the women's division, veteran Kang Chae-young will lead the team. Having won gold in the team event at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games and the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, she will team up with newcomers Oh Ye-jin and Lee Yoon-ji to pursue an eighth consecutive title in the women's team event.
The key to a complete sweep lies in the compound events. The compound team is determined to reclaim the top position lost to India in Hangzhou. This time, Italian coach Sergio Pagni, who led the Indian compound team in Hangzhou, will support the South Korean team.
The men's team includes 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games team gold medalists Choi Yong-hee, Kim Jong-ho, and Choi Eun-kyu. The women's team features Park Ye-rin, Park Jung-yoon, and 14-year-old Kang Yeon-seo, who made history as the youngest national representative in South Korean archery.
In compound events, athletes shoot at a target from a distance of 50 meters using a bow with pulleys and sights. Unlike the set system in recurve, the total score of all arrows shot determines the winner.
This competition also offers qualification spots for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The results of the men's and women's individual events, mixed team events in recurve, and mixed team events in compound will provide opportunities for countries to secure Olympic berths.
Notably, the mixed team event in compound will be held as an official event for the first time at the LA Olympics, with the winning country at this competition earning one spot for each gender.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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