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Chinese women beat Korea again – this time on Korean soil

26 May 2024

Yecheon, Korea

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China’s recurve women’s team upset the top-seeded Koreans for the second international tournament in a row to win gold at stage two of the Hyundai Archery World Cup.

Last month, the Chinese squad won on their home soil, in Shanghai.

Today they repeated the result – but in Korea.

“We have always competed in Korea, and we brought a fighting attitude because we were more determined to do it here than at home,” said An Qixuan, who both shot the seven that put China 4-2 behind and delivered the winning arrow, a 10, in the eventual tiebreak.

An’s arrow was decisive – but it was former Youth Olympic Champion Li Jiaman who sets the tone for this Chinese line-up.

She shot first in the tiebreak. A near-perfect 10.

Xu Zhiyun put down a nine and Qixuan’s arrow gave China 29 points, matching the Korean total, but Jiaman‘s opener had clearly landed closer to the middle.

“Only one of us was [wearing] red and our Chinese red gave us a lot of faith,” said An.

The arena at the Yecheon Jinho International Archery Field was full with the home crowd.

Jeon Hunyoung shoots during the recurve women’s team final in Yecheon.

It was An Qixuan’s seven in the third set that put China down – but her final 10 that won the match.

The Chinese opener, Li Jiaman, set the tone with a near-perfect shot in the tiebreak.

After not winning a stage gold in 10 years, China now has two in two months.

World champion Germany completed the recurve women’s team podium.

Losing on home soil is a disaster for Korea.

“We did our best,” said captain Jeon Hunyoung. “I‘m proud of my teammates… we’re going to really try hard and go for better results at the next stage [in Antalya] and the Olympics.”

This young line-up is shooting for an historic 10th straight title at the Games in just over two months but instead of arriving at Paris 2024 as the indomitable force that strikes fear into the rest of the field, as the have for the last four decades, they’ll arrive having been recently repeatedly beaten on the world stage.

China doesn’t officially have a team quota for the Games yet however it is all but guaranteed given the squad’s second place in the Sanlida World Archery Rankings. (Two teams qualify through this route.)

The Olympics is a different beast – but for the first time ever, Korea might not be the favourite.

“Things in the future are unpredictable. All we can do is to do well in the present,” said An. “To fight one match at a time.”

Korea did win the recurve men‘s team gold, while Mexico topped the mixed team podium.

Competition in Yecheon continues with recurve final fours this afternoon. Watch coverage with a subscription to archery+.