Clutch Performance

South Korea's Im Dong-hyun, left, Lee Chang-hwan, center, and Park Hyung-mo react after winning the final of men's team archery competition at the Beijing Olympics Monday. / AP-Yonhap

Korean Men Match Brilliance of Women Counterparts

By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter

South Korea's dominance in archery is becoming as predictable and traditional as kimchi, and the men, long overshadowed by their female counterparts in international events, are now asking for a larger share of the credit.

The men's team defeated Italy 227-225 in a thrilling final that tested their will and skill and went down to the wire until Italian Mauro Nespoli wilted under pressure and shot a seven with his last arrow.

The win gives South Korea its third straight Olympic gold in the men's team competition and its fourth overall since the Seoul Olympics in 1988. A day earlier, the women's team clinched its sixth consecutive gold at the same Beijing Olympic Green Archery Field.

``It was great to have our countrymen rooting loudly for us here," said Park Kyung-mo, the oldest archer on the South Korean squad at 33.

``The design of the venue certainly makes it easier for spectators to influence the outcome of the game, which may have been the way the Chinese intended, but we were ready for the high decibels as we have been training with crowds at baseball stadiums or rowing grounds," he said, commenting about the design of the venue that has the stands channeled toward the targets.

However, the gold medal didn't come as easy as Park made it sound.

The Koreans ― Park, Im Dong-hyun and Lee Chang-hwan ― needed to summon their best to beat host China 221-218 in the semifinals a day earlier. And the Italians, led by Marco Galiazzo, the reigning Olympic champion in the men's individual event, proved as a tough finals opponent.

The Koreans seemed to build a comfortable lead after the first and second ends, leading 117-111, and looked to be cruising toward the top spot of the podium.

However, the Italians responded with a flourish in the third end, getting five 10s and a nine from Ilario Di Buo to cut the lead at 172-170.

The Italians opened the fourth end solidly with 29 points, tying the game for the moment with the Koreans responding with three nines in the first attempt. .

In the second attempt, Galiazzo and Di Buo shot a 10 and nine, respectively, in their second attempts. Nespoli, who shot a seven with his first arrow of the match, repeated the score with his last, after it seemed that he held his trigger an extra second too long.

Im shot a nine, Lee followed with a 10 and Park finished with a nine to give the South Koreans the victory.

``I was shaky in the earlier rounds but found my composure in the finals," said Lee, who joked that he is naturally ``constituted" for the finals.

After collaborating to give their country the gold, Park, Im and Lee will be reunited as rivals in the men's individual competition.

Despite their dominance in the team competition, Korean men have yet to clinch their first individual Olympic gold.

``It's about time that the men show they have game too," said Im.

thkim@koreatimes.co.kr

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