Decoding Lim Sihyeon's dominance at 2024 Paris Olympics in archery
The archery contingent of South Korea, also known as the Republic of Korea, has had a good run at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Ace archer Lim Si-hyeon led the proceedings in her debut Olympic campaign by clinching three gold medals. She secured first-place finishes at the women's individual, women's team, and mixed team events. Here we decode her campaign.
Triumph in all-South Korea final
Lim captured the gold in the women's individual event by defeating her compatriot Nam Suhyeon in the first all-South Korea final in 20 years. Lim defeated Nam 7-3 in the set score at Invalides in Paris. She beat Puerto Rico's Alondra Rivera, Indonesia's Rezza Octavia, Great Britain's Megan Havers, Mexico's Alejandra Valencia, and compatriot Jeon Hun-young en route to the finals before defeating Nam.
Gold in team event as well
Lim was paired up with Jeon Hun-young and Nam Su-hyeon for the women's team event. The trio started well with a 6-2 win over Chinese Taipei in the quarter-final. The semi-final against Netherlands was a tight one but the Koreans prevailed 5-4. South Korea claimed another 5-4 win in the final against China to take the gold medal home.
Dominance in mixed team event
Si-hyeon and Kim Woo-jin represented South Korea's mixed team in the 2024 games and claimed the gold medal. The duo started its campaign with a 5-4 win over the Chinese Taipei pairing of Tai Yu-hsuan and Lei Chien-ying in the 1/8 elimination round. They then beat Italians Mauro Nespoli and Chiara Rebagliati 6-2 in the quarter-final.
Retention of the gold medal
Indian archers Dhiraj Bommadevara and Ankita Bhakat challenged South Korea in the semi-final match but lost the game 2-6. Lim and Woo-jin swept the floor 6-0 with their German opponents Florian Unruh and Michelle Kroppen in the final to retain the gold medal.
Lim registered these records
The trio of Lim, Hun-young, and Su-hyeon scripted an all-time Olympic record in the ranking round of the women's team event. They scored 2,046. Lim now also boasts the world record in the ranking round of women's individual event (694). Lim and Woo-jin also registered the Olympic record in mixed team event (1,380).
Here are her other achievements
In addition to her Olympic medals, the 21-year-old sensation won three gold medals at the 2022 Asian Games. Like in the 2024 Games, Lim's gold medals at the Asian event were recorded in women's individual, women's team, and mixed team events.
