12 August 2008 - Women's: Korea's PARK looks to add another archery gold

Women's: Korea's PARK looks to add another archery gold Beijing - 12 August 2008  PARK Sung-Hyun (KOR) is the archer to beat in the women's individual event at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Competition gets underway at 10:00 on Tuesday 12 August at the Olympic Green Archery Field with the women's individual 1/32 and 1/16 eliminations. Medals will be awarded on Thursday.   Favourite   Ø      PARK is trying to become the first archer to successfully defend an individual Olympic title since the head-to-head format was introduced in 1992. Ø      PARK, the No. 1 seed, tied the 72-arrow Olympic record in the individual ranking round. Ø      PARK played a key role in Korea's 224-215 win over China in the women's team event on Sunday. On her final arrow PARK hit a 10, just as she did in the women's team event final, to clinch gold at Athens 2004.   Challengers   Ø      YUN Ok-Hee (KOR), the No. 2 seed, poses the strongest threat to PARK. YUN won a silver medal at the most recent World Cup in Boe, France and at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha. She lost to PARK in both events. Ø      JOO Hyun-Jung (KOR), the No. 3 seed, won team gold with PARK and YUN on Sunday. Despite being new to the international scene, JOO has the potential to join her countrywomen in a medal sweep.   Other Contenders   Ø      Khatuna NARIMANIDZE (GEO) surprised everyone with her fourth place in the ranking round and could capitalise on this momentum to win a medal.  Ø      YUAN Shu Chi (TPE) placed sixth in the ranking round. YUAN was fourth in the women's individual in Athens 2004 and her coach said her primary goal in Beijing was to win the women's individual. Ø      ZHANG Juan Juan (CHN) was the winner of the 2006 World Cup Final and won silver in the women's team on Sunday. Despite being ranked No. 6 in the world, ZHANG disappointed in the ranking round and fell to 27th seed. Ø      Natalia VALEEVA (ITA), aged 39, is one of the eldest archers in Beijing. The reigning world champion won the 2008 World Cup in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and is ranked No. 3 in the world. VALEEVA had a disappointing ranking round (30th place), but has the experience of five Olympics which might help her stage a comeback.   ONS jf/jg/bc/sig/rw