The South Korean archery mixed team of Kim Je-deok (Yecheon County Office) and Kang Chae-young (Hyundai Mobis) saw their bid for a second consecutive Asian Games title come to an end with a loss to China.
On October 2, at the Okazaki Central Multipurpose Park in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Kim and Kang were defeated by China in the semifinals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games mixed team event, with a set score of 0-6 (32-37, 36-37, 34-37).
From the start, South Korea struggled to gain the upper hand. In the first set, they scored 7, 8, and 7 points on their first three arrows. Although they hit a 10 with the final arrow, their total of 32 points was not enough to overcome China's 37 points, resulting in a loss in the first set.
In the second set, South Korea narrowed the gap, scoring 36 points, but China maintained their lead with 37 points, extending the set score to 0-4.
The third set saw no change in momentum. Kim and Kang both hit 8 points on their first two arrows, followed by a 10 and an 8, finishing the set with 34 points. China scored 37 points, adding two more set points and concluding the match at 0-6.
This defeat ended South Korea's hopes of defending their title in the mixed team event. After being eliminated in the quarterfinals at the inaugural mixed team event in the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games, South Korea won the gold medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Games.
Having failed to reach the finals, Kim Je-deok and Kang Chae-young will now compete for a bronze medal later today.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.