Lee secures recurve gold at Asian Games as South Korea finishes with three gold

South Korea finished the archery competition at the 20th Asian Games with three gold medals, three silver medals, and three bronze medals, marking a notable performance drop compared to the previous games three years prior.

Lee Secures Recurve Gold Amid Regional Shifts

Lee defeated Japan’s Junya Nakanishi 6-2 in the men’s individual recurve final to claim one of South Korea’s three gold medals at the tournament. After starting the first set with two 10s, Lee tied the second set at 27-27 following an eight-point shot, taking a 3-1 lead. When Nakanishi found his rhythm with two 10s in the third set, Lee matched him with two 10s of his own to move ahead 4-1 before sealing the victory with two more 10s in the fourth set. This marked Lee’s second gold medal of the 20th Asian Games, following a victory in the men’s team recurve event a day earlier.

Kim Jong-ho Adds Compound Gold as Overall Tally Falls

Kim Jong-ho secured South Korea’s only other gold medal of the competition by winning the men’s individual compound event. Despite these titles, the nation’s final count of three gold, three silver, and three bronze medals fell well short of the four gold, four silver, and three bronze medals won at the previous Asian Games held three years earlier, where South Korea finished second in the archery medal standings behind India for the first time.

India and Other Rivals Challenge Korean Dominance

The dip in South Korea’s medal haul stemmed from the steady ascent of regional competitors. While China and Indonesia captured one gold medal each, India matched its performance from the prior games with five gold, two silver, and two bronze medals to lead the archery medal table once again. On October 3, Kumkum Mohod won gold in the women’s individual recurve event, becoming the first Indian athlete to win an Asian Games medal in that discipline. India also secured gold in the women’s team recurve event for the first time in history, breaking a streak where South Korea had won every gold medal in the discipline since the 1998 Asian Games.