President Moon Jae-in congratulated South Korea’s women’s archery team Sunday on claiming the country’s ninth consecutive Olympic gold medal in the women’s team event.
An San, Jang Min-hee and Kang Chae-young beat the Russian Olympic Committee by the set score of 6-0 in the final of the Tokyo Summer Games earlier in the day.
“What a terrific achievement. South Korean archery is truly great,” Moon wrote on his Facebook page. “Even in the midst of strong winds, (the archers) demonstrated their overwhelming skill.”
Moon said it is “truly admirable” and he feels proud that South Korea has won every gold medal in this event since it was introduced in Seoul in 1988.
“I send my heartfelt congratulations and thanks to Kang Chae-young, Jang Min-hee and An San, and their coaches, for doing their best and awarding the people the second gold medal (at the Tokyo Games) and great joy,” the president said, adding he looks forward to the individual event and will cheer for them with the nation.
Earlier, Moon sent letters to archers Kim Je-deok and An San, who won the first South Korean gold in the mixed team event, fencer Kim Jung-hwan and taekwondo athlete Jang Jun, who both grabbed bronzes.
In the letters to the two archers, Moon cast their wins as “a remarkable feat achieved in the new archery event,” and thanked them for their efforts that brought “great joy and courage” to the people, according to a Facebook post by the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.
Moon said An’s “unwavering spirit” led to the victory and that he takes pride in Kim being the youngest South Korean medalist in archery history.
To fencer Kim Jung-hwan, Moon said his win is more valuable as it was a dramatic come-from-behind victory despite an injury in his right ankle.
In the letter to Jang, Moon said he showed the power of his country as the birthplace of taekwondo.
“It’s the valuable result from every drop of sweat you had until you entered the Olympics,” Moon said.
Source: Yonhap News Agency