While I’m not glued to the TV or my phone during the 2020 Olympics, I am interested enough to watch some highlights each day on YouTube. Sure, I’m mostly checking out how competitors for Team USA are doing, but even when they’ve been knocked out of an event during qualifying rounds, it’s still fun to watch various competitions, especially when it’s a shooting event and a gold medal is on the line.
In the video below, the three archers from South Korea are battling the team from Chinese Taipei (Taiwan). Their skill level with recurves is obviously impressive. FYI: The distance to the target is 77 yards, and the diameter of the 10-ring is 4.8 inches; the diameter of the 9-ring is 9.6 inches. Factor in unpredictable winds and it’s even harder.
What I enjoy most about this 4-minute clip is the enthusiasm of 17-year-old Kim Je-deok (above left), who is participating in this first Olympics. As a father of 16- and 18-year-old boys, both of which compete in multiple team sports in our small hometown, I can’t help but smile as Kim Je-deok cheers on his two older South Korean teammates; Kim Woojin is 29, and Oh Jin-hyek is 39.
South Korea edged out Japan in the semifinals, and as you’ll see below, the three archers put on a superb performance in the finals, which includes a perfect second set (six arrows in the 10-ring; two per archer).
If you watch closely, you’ll see a clock ticking down next to their score. Each team is allotted 2 minutes to shoot its six arrows. Oh Jin-hyek shoots last in the three-man rotation, and most of the time his final arrow in a set is literally a buzzer beater.
Click here to watch the amazing video.
