Vietnamese archer Dang Cong Duc finished fourth in the men’s individual recurve event at the 20th Asian Games on Oct. 1, missing out on a medal after dropping closely contested matches in both the semifinals and the bronze-medal playoff. Despite falling short of the podium, Cong Duc delivered a landmark performance for Vietnam’s archery program by reaching the individual medal rounds for the first time in tournament history, highlighted by an upset victory over a former world champion.
A Quarterfinal Upset Over Choi Yong Hee
The defining moment of Cong Duc’s campaign came during the quarterfinals on Oct. 1 when he faced South Korea’s Choi Yong Hee. Choi entered the match with world-class pedigree, having won the 2019 World Championships in the men’s team 3-string archery event alongside teammates Kim Jongho and Yang Jaewon.
The quarterfinal battle unfolded with razor-thin margins. Cong Duc fell behind 28–29 after the opening round, though he managed to level the score at 57–57 by the end of the second. Choi responded with a flawless 30-point round to put the pressure back on the Vietnamese representative, who trailed by a single point. In the clutch, Cong Duc reeled off six consecutive 10-point shots. He capped the comeback with two more perfect scores, turning a deficit into a 146–143 victory that propelled him into the semifinals.
Semifinal and Bronze-Medal Heartbreak
Advancing to the semifinals, Cong Duc faced Chang Cheng-Wei of Chinese Taipei. Through the opening nine rounds, both competitors remained deadlocked at 89 points apiece. The match slipped away in the fourth round when a stray arrow scored an 8, resulting in a 27-point round—one point behind his opponent. Although both archers matched each other with 28 points in the final frame, Chang held on to win 145–144, denying the Vietnamese archer a spot in the gold-medal match by a single point.
Relegated to the bronze-medal playoff, Cong Duc squared off against Thirumuru Ganesh Mani Ratnam of India. The Indian archer maintained relentless precision, shooting a flawless 90 points through the first nine arrows to establish a two-point advantage over Cong Duc’s 88. Over the final six arrows, Ganesh Mani Ratnam added 59 points to Cong Duc’s 56, sealing a 149–144 victory that left the Vietnamese competitor in fourth place.
Historic Progress for Vietnamese Archery
While the double defeat in the medal rounds left the delegation with lingering regret, tournament records highlight the significance of the run. Cong Duc’s advancement marked the first time a Vietnamese archer reached an individual medal final at the Asian Games.
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