This content is archived and as has not been processed. It may contain unformatted text or images, broken links or out-of-date information.
IM Dong-Hyun (KOR) targets Olympic gold despite strong myopia
Antalya – 7 June 2011
IM Dong-Hyun (KOR) at World Cup Final 2011 in Edinburgh 
Olympic, World and World Cup champion IM Dong-Hyun (KOR) has been one of the top recurve archers for almost a decade. By the end of his career, he may be called the greatest archer of all time. Even better, he has done it with considerably low eyesight.
IM can see 10% of what a person with perfect vision can see. In fact, he cannot read the keyboard of a computer. However, the archer does not wear corrective glasses or contact lenses during competition. IM relies on "feel" when he shoots. He cannot see the target properly but is able to distinguish its colours. According to IM, seeing the target or not seeing the target does not make any difference. The Korean has rejected offers of free eye surgery to improve his vision.
Despite his visual impairment, the Korean has had a Roger FEDERER type of career in archery, according to many experts. He started his international career in great fashion, winning the individual silver medal at the 2003 World Championships in New York City at age 17 (!).
The following year, IM became archery’s youngest male champion at the Athens Olympic Games when Korea won gold in the team competition.
At those Games, IM set a new world record in the individual 70m Round (72 arrows), with a score of 687. He won his first three elimination matches to advance to quarterfinals. At that stage he lost 110-111 to the eventual silver medallist from Japan Hiroshi YAMAMOTO. IM ended up in 6th place overall.
2007 was a great year for IM who won both the team and the individual titles at the World Championships in Leipzig, Germany.
The Korean picked up his second Olympic gold medal in the team competition at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. He claimed another major victory just two weeks after the Olympics: an individual gold medal at the World Cup Final in Lausanne.
IM Dong-Hyun has conquered all the titles the archers dream about: Olympic, World and finally World Cup champion.
Almost a decade after his international debut, the Korean proved that he is still improving: he raised his own world record in the 70 m Round from 687 to 691 points in late 2010.
IM Dong-Hyun is probably Korean archery’s best hope for an individual gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games. So far this medal has eluded him. In fact no Korean archer has ever won a men’s individual Olympic gold, and IM Dong-Hyun hopes to be the first. He actually said one day: "I do not know if I deserve to be called the Roger FEDERER of archery, but it is true that we have one point in common: if I win the individual gold at the London Games, it would also be the pinnacle of my career."
Let’s ask him to break away from his training and answer a few questions.
How did you discover archery?
I started when I was 10 years old. After watching the 1996 Olympic Games on TV, I wanted to start archery very much. Fortunately my school had an archery club, which made it possible for me to start training. When I made the National Team I started to dream of going to the Olympics.
What are your memories from the Olympics?
In Athens 2004 the archery competition was held in the Panathinaiko Stadium, which hosted the first Olympic Games of the modern era in 1896, and served as the arrival site for the marathon in 1896 and 2004.
Beijing 2008 was different in that everything was very big. I was particularly impressed with the atmosphere in the audience. In the venue the Korean supporters were cheering us on and the Chinese supporters whistling at us. I took part in two Games and got two gold medals. Next year, I really want to get the medal in both team and individual.
Who are your Olympic heroes or role models?
Ever since I watched the 1996 Olympics on TV, the members of the Korean men’s team from that time have been my heroes: OH Kyo-Moon, KIM Bo-Ram, JANG Yong-Ho. I really wanted to be like them and I respect them to this day.
What is your key to success?
First of all, I have learned the basic skills very well. When I was young I was also very lucky to have older, more experienced archers give me advice many times.
What is your training towards the 2012 Olympic Games?
I am a professional archer and train 6-7 hours a day. Right now I’m rather preparing for the World Championships that will take place in June in Turin. The selection process for the Korean national team just took place. I will practice very hard next winter in order to be ready for London.
What is your mail goal for London 2012?
First of all, win the gold medal in the individual competition, and win the team gold medal for the third time in a row.
Who will be your main rival in London?
I have many rivals, firstly my team mates, secondly USA’s Brady ELLISON, Ukraine’s Viktor RUBAN, the archers from China… Everyone can be dangerous.
What do you know about London?
I have never been to London. When I was in school I heard that it is always raining in London and that Great Britain is the country of gentlemen. I am going to make a first trip to London for the Olympic Test Event in October.
What music is on your MP3 player?
Mostly Korean pop songs that are very popular in my country, like 21, After School…
Does being a Korean archer add to the pressure?
When I train sometimes I see other Korean archers whose scores are higher than mine. Sometimes I start thinking that if I miss one single arrow I might lose everything against them. So, yes, there is pressure. I know all Korean archers very well and should be able to handle the situation.
Please tell us about your visual impairment and the way it affects your shooting?
I suffer from strong myopia but I feel no inconvenience and don’t see it as a problem. My eyes have always been like that and when I was young, I didn’t even realise I had a problem. I tested my vision only when I entered University. Actually as you’re writing this interview I can’t even see the letter pads of your computer while you’re typing. When I shoot I don’t feel any problem. When I look at the target, I can distinguish the different colours. My myopia does not affect the scoring. I don’t want to start using glasses or contact lenses because I feel no problem shooting without them. However there are activities that I cannot do without glasses, like reading, watching TV or using the computer.
Your first major success came at the World Championships 2003 in New York City, where you won the individual silver, aged only 17. Eight years later you’re still one of the best in the world. How do you explain this longevity at the top?
My longevity is mostly thanks to my experience. I am able to control difficult situations more easily and I stay calm when I shoot.
What are your strengths?
Competition is easy for me. When I shoot matches I have a high level of concentration.
What do you plan to do when your archery career is over?
I plan to compete in archery until age 35 (redaction note: that would be until 2020!), unless I start another activity before that. I have already achieved great success in archery and want to try something else, another field. But for now archery is the most important thing in my life.
Biography Extract:
IM Dong-Hyun (KOR) – Born 12 May 1986 2010 World Cup Final 2nd Individual 2009 World Championships 2nd Individual, 1st Team 2008 World Cup Final 1st Individual 2008 Olympic Games 9th Individual, 1st Team 2007 World Championships 1st Individual, 1st Team 2004 Olympic Games 6th Individual, 1st Team 2003 World Championships 2nd Individual, 1st Team
More results information on IM Dong-Hyun and all other archers at the World Archery website.
Vanahé ANTILLE
World Archery Communication
Olympic, World and World Cup champion IM Dong-Hyun (KOR) has been one of the top recurve archers for almost a decade. By the end of his career, he may be called the greatest archer of all time. Even better, he has done it with considerably low eyesight.
IM can see 10% of what a person with perfect vision can see. In fact, he cannot read the keyboard of a computer. However, the archer does not wear corrective glasses or contact lenses during competition. IM relies on "feel" when he shoots. He cannot see the target properly but is able to distinguish its colours. According to IM, seeing the target or not seeing the target does not make any difference. The Korean has rejected offers of free eye surgery to improve his vision.
Despite his visual impairment, the Korean has had a Roger FEDERER type of career in archery, according to many experts. He started his international career in great fashion, winning the individual silver medal at the 2003 World Championships in New York City at age 17 (!).
The following year, IM became archery’s youngest male champion at the Athens Olympic Games when Korea won gold in the team competition.
At those Games, IM set a new world record in the individual 70m Round (72 arrows), with a score of 687. He won his first three elimination matches to advance to quarterfinals. At that stage he lost 110-111 to the eventual silver medallist from Japan Hiroshi YAMAMOTO. IM ended up in 6th place overall.
2007 was a great year for IM who won both the team and the individual titles at the World Championships in Leipzig, Germany.
The Korean picked up his second Olympic gold medal in the team competition at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. He claimed another major victory just two weeks after the Olympics: an individual gold medal at the World Cup Final in Lausanne.
IM Dong-Hyun has conquered all the titles the archers dream about: Olympic, World and finally World Cup champion.
Almost a decade after his international debut, the Korean proved that he is still improving: he raised his own world record in the 70 m Round from 687 to 691 points in late 2010.
IM Dong-Hyun is probably Korean archery’s best hope for an individual gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games. So far this medal has eluded him. In fact no Korean archer has ever won a men’s individual Olympic gold, and IM Dong-Hyun hopes to be the first. He actually said one day: "I do not know if I deserve to be called the Roger FEDERER of archery, but it is true that we have one point in common: if I win the individual gold at the London Games, it would also be the pinnacle of my career."
Let’s ask him to break away from his training and answer a few questions.
How did you discover archery?
I started when I was 10 years old. After watching the 1996 Olympic Games on TV, I wanted to start archery very much. Fortunately my school had an archery club, which made it possible for me to start training. When I made the National Team I started to dream of going to the Olympics.
What are your memories from the Olympics?
In Athens 2004 the archery competition was held in the Panathinaiko Stadium, which hosted the first Olympic Games of the modern era in 1896, and served as the arrival site for the marathon in 1896 and 2004.
Beijing 2008 was different in that everything was very big. I was particularly impressed with the atmosphere in the audience. In the venue the Korean supporters were cheering us on and the Chinese supporters whistling at us. I took part in two Games and got two gold medals. Next year, I really want to get the medal in both team and individual.
Who are your Olympic heroes or role models?
Ever since I watched the 1996 Olympics on TV, the members of the Korean men’s team from that time have been my heroes: OH Kyo-Moon, KIM Bo-Ram, JANG Yong-Ho. I really wanted to be like them and I respect them to this day.
What is your key to success?
First of all, I have learned the basic skills very well. When I was young I was also very lucky to have older, more experienced archers give me advice many times.
What is your training towards the 2012 Olympic Games?
I am a professional archer and train 6-7 hours a day. Right now I’m rather preparing for the World Championships that will take place in June in Turin. The selection process for the Korean national team just took place. I will practice very hard next winter in order to be ready for London.
What is your mail goal for London 2012?
First of all, win the gold medal in the individual competition, and win the team gold medal for the third time in a row.
Who will be your main rival in London?
I have many rivals, firstly my team mates, secondly USA’s Brady ELLISON, Ukraine’s Viktor RUBAN, the archers from China… Everyone can be dangerous.
What do you know about London?
I have never been to London. When I was in school I heard that it is always raining in London and that Great Britain is the country of gentlemen. I am going to make a first trip to London for the Olympic Test Event in October.
What music is on your MP3 player?
Mostly Korean pop songs that are very popular in my country, like 21, After School…
Does being a Korean archer add to the pressure?
When I train sometimes I see other Korean archers whose scores are higher than mine. Sometimes I start thinking that if I miss one single arrow I might lose everything against them. So, yes, there is pressure. I know all Korean archers very well and should be able to handle the situation.
Please tell us about your visual impairment and the way it affects your shooting?
I suffer from strong myopia but I feel no inconvenience and don’t see it as a problem. My eyes have always been like that and when I was young, I didn’t even realise I had a problem. I tested my vision only when I entered University. Actually as you’re writing this interview I can’t even see the letter pads of your computer while you’re typing. When I shoot I don’t feel any problem. When I look at the target, I can distinguish the different colours. My myopia does not affect the scoring. I don’t want to start using glasses or contact lenses because I feel no problem shooting without them. However there are activities that I cannot do without glasses, like reading, watching TV or using the computer.
Your first major success came at the World Championships 2003 in New York City, where you won the individual silver, aged only 17. Eight years later you’re still one of the best in the world. How do you explain this longevity at the top?
My longevity is mostly thanks to my experience. I am able to control difficult situations more easily and I stay calm when I shoot.
What are your strengths?
Competition is easy for me. When I shoot matches I have a high level of concentration.
What do you plan to do when your archery career is over?
I plan to compete in archery until age 35 (redaction note: that would be until 2020!), unless I start another activity before that. I have already achieved great success in archery and want to try something else, another field. But for now archery is the most important thing in my life.
Biography Extract:
IM Dong-Hyun (KOR) – Born 12 May 1986 2010 World Cup Final 2nd Individual 2009 World Championships 2nd Individual, 1st Team 2008 World Cup Final 1st Individual 2008 Olympic Games 9th Individual, 1st Team 2007 World Championships 1st Individual, 1st Team 2004 Olympic Games 6th Individual, 1st Team 2003 World Championships 2nd Individual, 1st Team
More results information on IM Dong-Hyun and all other archers at the World Archery website.
Vanahé ANTILLE
World Archery Communication
People
Features
