PARIS — South Korean archer Kim Woo-jin triumphed in the men's individual archery final on Sunday, securing his third gold medal of the Paris Olympics and completing South Korea's clean sweep of the archery gold medals. Kim's victory against American competitor Brady Ellison in a critical shoot-off crowned him as one of the most successful Olympians from South Korea, with a total of five career gold medals.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim Woo-jin faced Brady Ellison in a tightly contested final that concluded in a dramatic shoot-off after both archers showcased exceptional skill throughout the match. Kim, who had previously won gold in both the men's team and mixed team events at these games, demonstrated his prowess under pressure by delivering a crucial shot that landed closer to the center than Ellison's, securing his victory.
The match was intense, with Ellison initially taking the lead before Kim clawed back to tie the score, forcing the competition into a shoot-off after a series of high-tension sets. Both archers scored a perfect 30 in their final set, highlighting the high standards and competitive spirit emblematic of Olympic archery.
South Korea's dominance in Olympic archery was further affirmed as they replicated their complete gold medal haul from the 2016 games, with the addition of the mixed team event introduced in Tokyo 2021 enhancing their tally. This consistency in performance underscores South Korea's exceptional training and preparation in archery.
Earlier in the day, another South Korean archer, Lee Woo-seok, clinched the bronze medal, defeating Germany's Florian Unruh. Lee's match against Kim in the semifinals had relegated him to the bronze medal contest, where he successfully secured his first individual medal at the Olympics.
With his historic win, Kim joins fellow South Korean Lim Si-hyeon as a triple gold medalist in Paris, marking South Korea as the only nation so far to boast two athletes each winning three golds in this year's games.