South Korea won the gold medal in men’s team archery at the Paris Olympics on Monday, beating the host nation 5-1.
The win reinforces South Korea as the country to beat in archery, as South Korean men have now claimed seven of 10 gold medals since the Olympic event was introduced in 1988 in Seoul. On Sunday, the South Korean women’s team won their 10th consecutive gold after an intense shoot-off against China. France is left with the silver medal and Turkey claimed bronze.
Archer Kim Woojin now has three gold medals, more than any other athlete in the men’s team event. He said he will now work to shake off any nerves as he looks for his first individual medal in Paris. “The higher the goals, you usually have a lot of mistakes. I will try to relieve my head of those goals and just focus on my heart,” he said.
The French team, cheered on by a boisterous crowd at Esplanade des Invalides, put up a strong fight in the first set with an even score against South Korea, giving each team one set point. But South Korea’s dominance in the sport proved too much. In the third set, the South Korean men hit the bullseye with all but one of their arrows.
The match-up between the host nation and defending gold medallists brought wildly enthusiastic support for both sides, with spectators appearing to wave the France and South Korea flags in equal measure. It also took place on the hottest day since the Games began, though the South Korean athletes said they weren’t bothered by the weather.