Mi-jin equals 2000 record
ByReuters
Published 17/08/2004 at 08:36 GMT
Olympic and world champion Yun Mi-jin equalled her own Olympic record in the individual archery at the Athens Games on Tuesday, firing 173 out of 180 points. The South Korean, who scored the same tally at the Sydney Olympics, hit the bullseye for maximum 10-point scores with 12 of her 18 arrows.
"In the next round she will break the Olympic record," said Korean coach Seo Geo-won.
In contrast to the strong winds which plagued the opening two days' of competition at the 19th-century Panathinaiko Stadium, the range was nearly perfectly still for Yun's second round shootout with Japan's Sayami Matsushita.
"Today the wind has died down and Yun could control the match easily. I believe that she will win the gold medal," said Seo.
The student was initially on target to attack Kim Won-jeong's world record of 175, hitting eight bulleyes with her first nine arrows. However, a gentle breeze proved unsettling and with consecutive shots she fired four nines and an eight.
South Korea's women archers have completely dominated the sport in the past two decades winning Olympic gold in every event they have ever contested.
Yun, just 17 when she won in Sydney, is aiming to become the second woman archer to win four Olympic golds since the sport returned to the Games programme in 1972. Her compatriot, Kim Soo-nyung won four golds between 1988 and 2000.
Since first competing at the Games in 1984, the Korean women have won all nine individual and team gold medals up for grabs - a feat unmatched in any other sport.
In Sydney, they took all the places on the podium in the individual women's contest.
A newcomer to the South Korean team, 19-year-old Lee Sung-jin, also advanced to the third round with a score of 166.
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