"14 out of 15 arrows hit the center..." Kim Jong-ho scores 149 points in compound, wins Korea's first-ever gold in individual compound event... Saves compound archery from crisis [Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games]

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Jong-ho (32, Hyundai Steel), the "flagship" star of South Korea's compound archery team, became the first athlete to win an individual gold medal in the history of the Asian Games.

On the 1st, at the Multi-Purpose Plaza in Okazaki Central Comprehensive Park in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Kim Jong-ho defeated Zhang Zheng-wei (Chinese Taipei) 149-145 in the final of the men's individual compound archery event at the "2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games" to claim victory.

Under the rules where the match is decided by a maximum score of 150 points over 15 arrows, Kim Jong-ho displayed near-perfect performance on the day, hitting the 10th-point target with all but one arrow (9 points). In the earlier semifinal, he defeated Ganesh Mani Rathnam Thirumuru of India to secure his spot in the final.

This is the first gold medal ever won by South Korean archery in an individual compound event at the Asian Games. It delivered the team's first golden news after they had previously settled for a silver medal in the mixed team event and a bronze medal in the women's team event. It also marked the 26th gold medal for the South Korean delegation at this tournament.

This victory is all the more valuable as it wiped away the regret from the previous day. Although there was a crisis where psychological instability could have set in after failing to win a medal in the men's team event, an area of traditional strength, Kim Jong-ho maintained his composure befitting a veteran and stood at the top of the individual podium.

Kim Jong-ho, who began to stand out from the Incheon Games in 2014, has consistently performed well at major international tournaments, including winning a team gold medal at the Jakarta-Palembang Games in 2018 and a team silver medal at the Hangzhou Games in 2022. Although he had previously lacked success in individual events, he finally avenged his past disappointments by winning an individual gold medal at this tournament as he entered his 30s.

Compound archery, which uses mechanical bows, has been overshadowed by recurve, a formal Olympic event, within South Korean archery. However, it will be adopted as a formal event starting from the 2028 Los Angeles (LA) Olympics. With Kim Jong-ho proving his overwhelming skills at this Asian Games, which serves as a precursor, expectations have grown even higher for the inaugural LA Olympic champion two years later.

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*This content was translated by AI.