…is the new goal of ‘3-time AG and 3-time Olympic champion’ Im Jae-hyun

“I want to stay at the top like Woojin.”

That’s the next goal for “Super Ace” Lim Im-hyun (Korea Gymnastics Team). She defeated Nam Soo-hyun 7-3 (29-29 29-26 30-27 30-29 28-26) in the women’s individual archery final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Parc des Princes in Paris, France, on Wednesday (Feb. 3). Lim also won gold in the individual event. With her individual, mixed, and team gold medals, the South Korean became a three-time Olympic champion. She won three medals at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year. It was the first time in 37 years that an archer had won three archery titles at an Asian Games. It was the first time in 37 years that an archer had won three gold medals at an Asian Games. It’s the era of the Korean archer.

Earlier in the day, Lim opened her individual campaign with a 6-0 (26-23 28-18 29-24) victory over Puerto Rico’s Alondra Rivera in the round of 64. She followed that up with a 6-0 (28-27 27-26 29-27) victory over Indonesia’s Reza Octavia in the Round of 32. The momentum continued in the Round of 16. She won 7-1 (28-28, 27-26, 27-21, 28-26) against Megan Havers of Great Britain. In the quarterfinals, it was back-and-forth drama. She defeated Alejandro Valencia (MEX) 6-4 (30-30 27-27 27-28 29-28 29-26). Nam defeated Zana Ali of Assyria 5-1 (30-23 29-25 28-28 29-28) in the Round of 64, and then defeated Marie Horakova of the Czech Republic 7-3 (28-28 27-24 28-28 29-29 29-24) in the Round of 32. She won her Round of 16 match against Amaistroaie Madarina (ROM) 6-2 (28-24, 27-29, 28-27, 29-28). In the quarterfinals, she came from behind to defeat India’s Deepika Kumari 6-4 (26-28 28-25 28-29 29-27 29-27) to reach the last four.

With the gold and silver medals already secured, it was a win-win final for Korean archery. It was tense from the first set. The two archers shot the same score as if they had made a pact. 10-9-10 points. The score was 29-29. In the second set, Lim took the lead. Im scored a consistent 29 points, but Nam Soo-hyun’s seven points kept her at 26 points.

In the third set, Im shot a perfect 30 points. They were all 10-10-10. She dominated Nam Soo-hyun, who shot 27 points. But Nam Soo-hyun wasn’t done. In the fourth set, she shot 10-10-10 to overwhelm Nam Soo-hyun’s 29 points. In the fifth set, the match was decided. She won 28-26 to take the gold medal.

Lee made it a triple win. He shared gold with Jeon Hoon-young and Nam Soo-hyun in the women’s team event on Sept. 29. South Korea’s women’s archery team has won 10 consecutive titles since the 1988 Seoul Games.

After winning the team gold medal, which was her primary goal, she went on to win gold in the mixed event. Im was joined in the mixed event by Kim Woo-jin, who also topped the men’s ranking round. Korean archery has traditionally given the top male and female performers in the ranking rounds of major international competitions a spot in the mixed event. The two are undoubtedly the best archers in the world. And they’re already in sync. Im and 파워볼게임 Kim competed as a pair at the first and second World Cups this year. They won the first World Cup together.

They also dominated the mixed event and won gold. They also won the remaining individual events.

“I had already won two titles in the mixed and team events, and I think I was focused on the result before, but for the individual event, I wanted to focus on the process. I wanted to have a little more fun, and I’m so grateful and honored that the result was so good,” he laughed. He said that the moment he clinched the title, he thought, “Oh, this is it, I’m enjoying it, it’s real.”

He faced Jeon Hoon-hyun in the quarterfinals and Nam Soo-hyun in the final. “I think I was able to focus on the process because I was able to meet both Korean players,” he said. “Even when I met Soo-hyun in the final, I thought, ‘We’re both medalists anyway, so let’s have fun,’ so we went in with our fists in the air.”

“I think I was lucky,” he said, “because I worked hard, and I showed what I was prepared for. I worked hard, so I believed in what I had prepared,” he said, adding, “I think I shot even harder because I thought it would be a shame if it was over after working so hard.”

After the Asian Games, Lim won three gold medals at the Olympics. The ceremony had a similar meaning. “Someone asked me if I thought it was easy to win three Olympic titles after winning three Asian Games titles, so I made a pose that meant I had passed through the eye of a needle,” she said. “After the Asian Games, I saw the veteran sisters in the Olympics, and they were ace. I felt the weight, and I think that’s why I tried to focus on the process rather than the result.”

“I want to sleep,” said Im, “but for now, I’ll enjoy the moment more without thinking about four years from now.” He revealed a new goal. “It may take a little longer, but I want to become a player like Woo Jin, and I think Woo Jin’s strength is his consistency, but I wonder how many players can be so consistent in that position. I will learn a lot from watching him from the sidelines,” he said.