Early Achievement of 5 Gold Medals Target, Korea Challenges Double Digits with Elite Team [Paris Olympics]

Despite Dispatching the Fewest Personnel in 48 Years, Repeated Success
Double-Digit Gold Medals Not an Impossible Goal

The South Korean delegation participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics achieved its target early by winning gold medals for three consecutive days. As of the 29th (local time), South Korea has won five gold medals, three silver medals, and one bronze medal. Although concerns arose due to sending the smallest team in 48 years, the team started off well, boosting morale.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On this day, teenager Ban Hyo-jin (Daegu Physical Education High School) was the first to gain momentum. In the women's 10m air rifle final held at the Ch?teauroux Shooting Center in France, she edged out China's Huang Yuting by 0.1 points in a shoot-off to claim the gold medal. This was South Korea's 100th gold medal since Yang Jeong-mo won the country's first gold in wrestling at the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics. She also set a new record as the youngest gold medalist, at 16 years, 10 months, and 18 days old, breaking the 36-year-old record set by Yoon Young-sook (17 years, 21 days), who won gold in the women's archery team event at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

The men's archery team, composed of Kim Woo-jin (Cheongju City Hall), Kim Je-deok (Yecheon County Office), and Lee Woo-seok (Kolon), also met expectations by winning the team gold medal. In the final held at Les Invalides in Paris, they defeated France with a set score of 5-1. From the quarterfinals to the final, they did not lose a single set, achieving a flawless victory. The previous day, the women's archery team, consisting of Im Si-hyun (Korea National Sport University), Jeon Hun-young (Incheon City Hall), and Nam Soo-hyun (Suncheon City Hall), extended their winning streak in the team event, which has been held since the 1988 Seoul Games, to 10 consecutive titles. With the men's team also reaching the top, Korean archery once again demonstrated its status as the world's strongest.

Heo Mi-mi (Gyeongbuk Sports Council) delivered South Korea's first judo medal at the Paris Olympics. In the women's 57kg final held at the Champ de Mars arena in Paris, she lost by penalty after an extended match against Christa Deguchi. Both had received two penalties each when Heo's attempted throw was judged a feint attack. Although she narrowly missed the gold, she earned South Korea's first women's judo silver medal in eight years since Jeong Bo-gyeong won silver in the 48kg category at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In response to the athletes' successive successes, the Korea Sports Council raised its target. They are quietly aiming for double-digit gold medals. This is not an impossible goal. Shooting, a sport initially expected to yield gold medals, has yet to begin. Archery also has the potential to sweep the three gold medals available in men's and women's individual and mixed events. Other sports expected to bring gold include fencing, judo, taekwondo, and modern pentathlon. If badminton, which is progressing well in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, also adds gold medals, the small elite team could achieve its best performance since the 2012 London Games (13 gold, 9 silver, 9 bronze).