[Asian Games] Im Si-hyeon Wins Gold in Archery Individual Event... Becomes Triple Crown Winner After 37 Years (Comprehensive)

First since Coach Yang Chang-hoon’s 4 Golds at the 1986 Seoul Games
'Olympic Triple Gold Medalist' An San wins 1 Gold and 1 Silver Medal

Im Si-hyun (Korea National Sport University) overcame An San (Gwangju Women’s University) to become the triple gold medalist in archery at the Asian Games.

On the 7th, at the archery venue of the Puyang Yinhou Sports Center in Hangzhou, China, Im Si-hyun defeated An San in the final of the women’s individual event at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games with a set score of 6-0 (29-26 29-26 29-28) to win the championship. Having previously won gold medals in the mixed team event and the women’s team event alongside her teammates, Im Si-hyun thus became a triple gold medalist in archery at the Asian Games.

Im Si-hyun is shooting an arrow during the women's team recurve final against China at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games held on the 6th at the Fuyang Inhu Sports Center in Hangzhou, China.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

This is the first time in 37 years that a triple gold medalist in archery has emerged at the Asian Games. In the 1986 Seoul Games, where medals were awarded by distance and a total of 12 gold medals were contested in archery, Yang Chang-hoon, the current women’s national team coach, became an unprecedented four-time gold medalist in the men’s division, while Kim Jin-ho and Park Jeong-ah each won three gold medals in the women’s division.

Im Si-hyun, a 20-year-old rookie who was selected for the national team for the first time this year, stood out in the women’s national team by winning two individual World Cup titles this year and capturing the mixed team title at the World Championships. She then rose to the top of Asia by defeating An San, the “Olympic triple gold medalist.” She also won the women’s individual gold medal in archery at the Asian Games for the first time in nine years for a Korean athlete.

Korea had produced gold medalists in this event for three consecutive Asian Games since the 2006 Doha Games, but at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games, they lost the gold medal to China and had to settle for one bronze medal.

An San, who became the first triple gold medalist in archery at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and was recognized as the best archer by winning two titles at the 2021 Yankton World Championships, was defeated by her two-year-younger national team junior on the Asian Games final stage, demonstrating the depth of Korean archery talent. An San concluded the tournament with a gold medal in the women’s team event and a silver medal in the women’s individual event.

Im Si-hyun took the initiative by scoring 29 points in the first set against An San’s 26 points, and the momentum of the match did not change thereafter.