"I Will Shoot Without Regret"

Ace Shooter Jin Jong-oh's Seventh Olympic Medal Hunt
Dramatically Secures Tokyo Ticket at 10m Air Pistol National Selection

Jin Jong-oh is posing before an interview with Asia Economy at the Shooting Research Institute of Shingu University on the 3rd. / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

The Tokyo Olympics men's 10m air pistol representative selection competition unfolded unfavorably. The first step was taken wrong. With a score of 579, he ranked 9th. Despite his efforts, he was only 7th (2313 points) by the 4th round. Even if he set a world record in the final 5th round, it seemed difficult to overturn the standings. "I complained that it was all over. The score gap was too big. Honestly, I even thought about giving up."

This is the confession of Jin Jong-oh (42, Seoul City Hall), South Korea's shooting icon. Although a veteran who has won four Olympic gold medals, he suffered from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder. It was not just due to poor performance. He was unable to prepare systematically for the representative selection. Shooting competitions were canceled one after another due to the impact of COVID-19. With the Tokyo Olympics' hosting even uncertain, it was difficult to focus on training.

"I needed to train with a strong determination, but I couldn't. Continuous disruptions to the plan disturbed my competition sense and physical rhythm. Even individual training was difficult. When COVID-19 cases increased, the shooting range had to close, so the time spent at home kept increasing."

When his uneasy premonition came true at the representative selection, his heart felt as heavy as lead. But Jin Jong-oh did not give up. He felt that if he didn't shoot until the last shot, he would have regrets. "I thought it was important to do my best until the end. Just then, my competition sense started to come back gradually. I wished there were a few more selection rounds. It felt like I was reflecting on myself. If I had prepared a bit more, it wouldn't have been this hard."

Jin Jong-oh is giving an interview to Asia Economy at the Shooting Research Institute of Shingu University on the 3rd. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

He staged a thrilling comeback in the 5th round. Scoring 585 points, he tied for 2nd place (2898 points) with Han Seung-woo (Changwon City Hall). The perfect 10 points scored in the final shot was crucial. In the representative selection, if there is a tie, priority goes to the athlete who earned an Olympic quota at an international competition. Having secured an Olympic quota at the 2018 Changwon World Championships, Jin Jong-oh ultimately clinched the ticket to Tokyo dramatically. He will challenge for his seventh career medal at his fifth Olympic Games.

"It would be a lie to say I don't desire good results. But I plan to go with a light heart. If I do my best, there will surely be good results. Since I was selected for the national team with difficulty, I will shoot without regrets."

He refines his skills by shooting 300 rounds daily at the Tacticalist Jin Jong-oh Shooting Range. He also devotes considerable time to strengthening his physical fitness. Now over forty, he feels fatigue easily. His recovery speed has slowed, so he consistently maintains weight training and other exercises. Next month, he plans to join the national team and compete to sharpen his practical sense.

"The reason I have maintained my athletic career so far is 30% talent and 70% effort. To maintain the skills of my prime, I have no choice but to work harder. I will prepare diligently and challenge not only the Tokyo Olympics but also the Paris Olympics."