Four years have passed.

Chang Hyejin smiled brightly as she finally stood atop the podium after the women’s archery individual event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, four years after she missed out on a trip to London for the 2012 Olympics by just one 1 point.

Chang won a gold medal in the final match this year, beating Lisa Unruh of Germany, 3-1, in the women’s archery individual final on Aug. 11.

In the semifinal, Chang competed with Ki Bobae, her younger teammate and one of the most difficult competitors in the field. Both athletes knew each other very well. For each of them, it was more of a battle with oneself. However, it was truly a world-class competition as Korean archers are considered some of the strongest in the world. Ki was the gold medalist in London, but this year Chang came up even in the fourth set, at 26-26. In the fifth set, she won the match by 28-26.





After finishing one of her most difficult, decisive matches, Chang didn't lose her composure. At last, she stood on the highest step of the podium.

Chang said tearfully, “I tried to shoot each arrow with all of my soul.”

“I did my best whenever shooting, and that brought a great result. I feel much better and happier now,” she added.

Chang was not the only one who cried at the Sambodromo that day. Her teammates Ki Bobae and Choi Misun were also full of tears. Ki and Choi won gold in the women’s team match earlier in the week. Ki also won the bronze in the women’s individual, but she was in tears as she will retire after the Rio Olympics. Choi, the youngest on the team and ranked the No. 1 woman archer in the world, cried as she lost the quarter final in the individual match.





Ki said, “Overall I'm happy to finish the games with good results, even though I missed a few points. I tried to focus on myself in order to not give up at the very last moment.”

Finally, to the men's archers, who will compete in the men’s individual event on Aug. 12, she said, “Bonchan and Seungyun, I hope you both can do your best and get good results without being too nervous.”

The men’s individual competition will begin at 9 a.m. Rio-time on the morning of Aug. 12, with the final match scheduled to begin at 4:43 p.m. that day.

By Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Yonhap News
arete@korea.kr