The South Korean recurvve archery national team has stepped up preparations for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, with veteran archer Kim Woo-jin outlining an ambitious goal to sweep all five gold medals available in the tournament. Kim, a 34-year-old mainstay of the squad, shared the team’s internal targets during an open training session held at the Gwangju KIA Champions Field.
Training at Gwangju KIA Champions Field
The national archery squad shifted their training base to the home stadium of the professional baseball team KIA Tigers to simulate high-pressure competitive environments and large-scale venue conditions. According to team reports from Gwangju, the squad utilized the open-air facility to test equipment wind resistance and adapt to unfamiliar shooting lines ahead of the multi-sport continental games scheduled for Japan.
Kim, who anchors the men’s recurve team, addressed reporters following the training session. He noted that the squad views the preparatory phase as an early trial run for the multi-sport event, emphasizing the rigorous internal competition required just to secure a spot on the final delegation roster for Aichi-Nagoya.
The Ambition for a Five-Gold Sweep
South Korea remains the dominant global force in international archery, historically capturing the lion’s share of Olympic and Asian Games titles. The target to sweep all five gold medals—spanning men’s individual, women’s individual, men’s team, women’s team, and mixed team events—reflects both historical expectations and the current depth of the nation’s elite talent pool.
Coaching staff and senior athletes alike have stressed that maintaining this standard requires flawless execution under variable weather conditions. Training sessions hosted at professional sports stadiums are designed specifically to expose archers to unpredictable crosswinds and distinct spectator sightlines similar to those expected at the upcoming Asian Games venues.
Next Steps and Competition Schedule
The national team will continue its domestic training camps and evaluation tournaments through the sports calendar, with final selections for the 2026 Asian Games delegation set to be determined by the Korea Archery Association through subsequent trials. Official updates regarding trials, roster announcements, and international competition entries will be published via the association’s official channels.
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