Average Age 19... The World Amazed by the 'Korean-style Genius'

An San, Two-Time Olympic Archery Champion
Six-Time National Champion Since Middle School
2004-Born 'Table Tennis Prodigy' Shin Yubin
Defeated Veteran 41 Years Older
Soccer's 'Wolban Icon' Lee Kangin
Active in Spanish Soccer Scene Since Age 16

Female archery representative An San is shooting an arrow at the Tokyo Olympic women's archery team event held on the 25th at the Yumenoshima Park Archery Field in Japan.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Our women's archery representative An San (20, Gwangju Women's University), who won two gold medals in her first-ever Olympics, was exceptional from the start.

In August 2016, when she was a third-year student at Gwangju Physical Education High School, she won six titles (middle school girls' singles 30m, 40m, 50m, 60m, individual overall, and team event) at the national competition held at Jinho Archery Field in Yecheon, Gyeongbuk. It is not easy for a perfect sweep to occur at a national competition in Korea, where archery competition is famously fierce worldwide. An San was the first to achieve this, and she was still a middle school student at the time. Korean archery was turned upside down, and An San emerged as a promising talent.

Five years later, An San stood on the gold medal podium twice at the Tokyo Olympics. The bowstring she draws is incredibly precise and sharp. At just 20 years old, the world was amazed once again. She is truly a 'Divine Archer' and an 'Archery Genius.'

At this Tokyo Olympics, other Korean prodigies who showed early promise in sports are also shining. Notable examples include the 2004-born 'table tennis prodigy' Shin Yu-bin (17, Korean Air) and the 'youngest brother' of our national soccer team, Lee Kang-in (20, Valencia).

The talents of these prodigies were gifts from heaven. But that alone does not explain them. All of them passed the selection process through fair competition and earned the Taeguk mark. Then, they grew under good systems and support. Sometimes, patriotism and mental strength were deeply ingrained. They are 'Korean-style prodigies' born and nurtured by Korea.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In table tennis, Shin Yu-bin shines. In the women's singles second round, she defeated the 'veteran' Ni Xialian (58, Luxembourg), who is 41 years her senior, advancing to the next round. Ni Xialian, originally from China, was considered one of the world's best in table tennis. Her experience and game management were expected to be superior to Shin Yu-bin's, but once they faced each other at the table, it was different. Shin Yu-bin skillfully executed forehand attacks, bewildering Ni Xialian. After the match, Ni Xialian shook her head and clicked her tongue.

Shin Yu-bin first picked up a racket at age three and showed remarkable growth. After graduating middle school, she joined the professional team Korean Air to focus on table tennis. At 14, she defeated older players and was selected as the youngest national team member.

Korean Air coach Kang Moon-soo recalled, "When Yu-bin was in fourth grade, she trained with the youth national team in Danyang-gun, Chungbuk, and I noticed her exceptional rhythm in receiving the ball." He added, "Her connection and ball control are excellent," praising her as "a talent who will carry on the legacy of Hyun Jung-hwa and Yang Young-ja."

In soccer, the youngest brother's performance was brilliant. Lee Kang-in was substituted in at the 33rd minute of the second group B match against Romania and scored two goals in 15 minutes, leading our team to a 4-0 victory. He scored a penalty kick in the 39th minute and a left-footed clincher in the 45th minute of the second half.

He is called the 'icon of early advancement' in soccer. From age 16, he played in the adult league for Spanish professional club Valencia. At 18, he participated in the FIFA U-20 World Cup and helped Korea achieve runner-up. At this Tokyo Olympics, Lee Kang-in was selected at a relatively young age and is challenging for the gold medal alongside his senior teammates.

The continuous discovery and emergence of talented players indicate that our sports are becoming more advanced. It means that a foundation where new talents can grow well has been established. In that sense, the prodigies' performances make the Tokyo Olympics an even more meaningful stage for us.