PHOTOS: Korea exceeds gold medal target at Paris Olympics
By Han Jun-guPosted : August 1, 2024, 14:57Updated : August 2, 2024, 09:11
SEOUL, August 1 (AJU PRESS) - With nearly a week into the Summer Olympics in Paris, Korea has won six gold, three silver and three bronze medals, ranking sixth in the overall gold-medal count as of Thursday, after China, France, Japan, Australia and England.
The country has already surpassed its initial modest goal of winning at least five gold medals, as unexpected medals came in shooting.
Following Korea's first medal at this year's quadrennial sporting event which came from shooting last week, Ban Hyo-jin won gold in the women's 10-meter air rifle on Monday, becoming the country's 100th gold medalist in the cumulative medal tally throughout the history of the Summer Olympics. The teen shooter also became the youngest Korean athlete to win an Olympic gold at the Summer Olympics.
Shooter Ban Hyo-jin poses with her gold medal at the Paris Olympics in France on July 29, 2024. Yonhap
Shooter Ban Hyo-jin competes in the women's 10-meter air rifle at the Paris Olympics in France on July 29, 2024. Yonhap
Shooter Ban Hyo-jin (right) reacts after winning gold in the women's 10-meter air rifle at the Paris Olympics in France on July 29, 2024. Yonhap
Japanese-born Korean judoka Huh Mi-mi won silver in the women's -57 kg category on the following day. It was Korea's first medal in eight years in the sport since Jeong Bo-kyeong's silver medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Judoka Huh Mi-mi reacts after her loss in the women's -57-kg category at the Paris Olympics in France on July 30, 2024. Yonhap
Judoka Huh Mi-mi reacts with her coach after her loss in the women's -57-kg category at the Paris Olympics in France on July 30, 2024. Yonhap
Judoka Huh Mi-mi (left) competes against Canada's Christa Deguchi in the women's -57-kg category at the Paris Olympics in France on July 30, 2024. Yonhap
Judoka Huh Mi-mi (far left) attends a medal ceremony at the Paris Olympics in France on July 30, 2024. Yonhap
Later in the day, Korea also demonstrated its status as a powerhouse in archery, as the trio of Kim Je-deok, Kim Woo-jin and Lee Woo-seok won gold in the men's archery team event, defeating France. It was Korea's third consecutive Olympic gold in the event, following victories at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016 and the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Archers Kim Woo-jin (far left), Lee Woo-seok (center) and Kim Je-deok pose for a photo after winning gold in the men's archery team event at the Paris Olympics in France on July 30, 2024. Yonhap
Archer Kim Woo-jin competes in the men's archery team event at the Paris Olympics in France on July 30, 2024. Reuters-Yonhap
Archers Kim Woo-jin (far left), Kim Je-deok (center) and Lee Woo-seok react after winning gold in the men's archery team event at the Paris Olympics in France on July 30, 2024. Yonhap
Table tennis duo Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin secured bronze in the mixed doubles the same day, defeating their opponents from Hong Kong in the third-place match, ending a 12-year drought in the sport since the country won silver in the men's team event in 2012.
The win was even more special for Lim, who was due to begin his mandatory military service later this month, but is now exempt thanks to his medal.
Table tennis duo Shin Yu-bin (left) and Lim Jong-hoon pose with their bronze medal at the Paris Olympics in France on July 30, 2024. Yonhap
Table tennis duo Lim Jong-hoon (left) and Shin Yu-bin compete in the mixed doubles at the Paris Olympics in France on July 30, 2024. AFP-Yonhap
Table tennis duo Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin react after winning bronze in the mixed doubles at the Paris Olympics in France on July 30, 2024. Yonhap
The Korean fencing team, consisting of Do Gyeong-dong, Gu Bon-gil, Oh Sang-uk, and Park Sang-won, won gold in the men's sabre, beating the Hungarian team on Wednesday. With this thrilling victory, Korea extended its winning streak in the sport for the third consecutive time since the 2012 London Olympics. The men's sabre team event was not part of the Olympics in 2016.
Riding the wave of a better-than-expected start, Korea now expects to win more medals in individual and mixed team archery events over the weekend as well as in shooting and badminton in the upcoming days.
Fencer Do Gyeong-dong reacts after winning gold in the men's sabre team event at the Paris Olympics in France on Aug. 1, 2024. Xinhua-Yonhap
Fencer Do Gyeong-dong (right) competes against Hungary's Krisztian Rabb in the men's sabre team event at the Paris Olympics in France on Aug. 1, 2024. AFP-Yonhap
Korean fencers pose with their gold medal at the Paris Olympics in France on Aug. 1, 2024. AFP-Yonhap
