If it says KOR on their jackets, keep your eyes peeled. The Korean team sets the pace in archery, whether man or woman, individualor team. CHO Youn-Heong (KOR) holds the women's 144-arrow FITA round record of 1,373, set in team competition, and Korea captured four of the 12 gold medals in Barcelona at the 1992 Games. Archers hope they don't see those three letters until well into the elimination rounds, but someone has to do it. Those less likely to be nervous are the recordholders.
Recent world-record breakers include OH Kyo-Moon (KOR) who earned 1,368 points in the men's 144-arrow FITA round, topping his previous record of 1992, broken by KIM Jung-Rye (KOR) in September. WONG Ziaozhu (CHN) broke the 72-arrow Olympic round match in Jakarta, Indonesia, in June with 667 points. HE Ying of China led an outstanding field of female archer in the first-ever Olympic ranking round in April, shot on the 1996 Olympic field in Stone Mountain, Atlanta, to score 638 in tricky winds. The record came less than a year after she set the 60m record.
While Koreans are veterans in Olympic competition, many former Soviet Bloc countries are competing for the first time in the Centennial Olympic Games. In the past, the Soviet Union took one gold, three silver and three bronze medals in Olympic archery. In 1992, as the Unified Team, it came away with two bronzes. All eyes are on the newly formed countries for a hint at which ones will be medal contenders. And anything can happen.
When competing at the international level, athletes can become legends in their own time. But even legends must learn to expect the unexpected. KIM Soo Nyung dominated women's archery in the late 80s and early 90s. She set six world records, and had a world championship and 1988 Olympic gold under her belt when she went to compete in Barcelona. Nevertheless, she was ousted by young hot shot CHO Youn Jeong (KOR). The new head-to-head competition format will make such upsets even more dramatic.
Barcelona silver-medalist CHUNG Jae-Hun will be a contender in the men's individual, though Jari LIPPONEN from Finland and Martinus GROV from Norway have been going head-to-head in the rankings. Right now GROV's got the upper hand. Don't leave Chinese Taipei's WU Tsung-Yi out of the running. WU's ranked sixth in the world.
The Turkish and Italian women made a good showing on the field at the Atlanta Grand Prix archery tournament in April. Paola FANTATO (ITA) jumped to the top of the field, whereas 1992 bronze medal-winner Natalia VALEEVA (MDA) had an unexpectedly weak performance. Women's individual winner Xiaozhu WANG from China was happy with the Olympic facilities and "felt very confident" throughout her performance at the Atlanta Grand Prix. She placed a disappointing fourth in Barcelona, and is aiming for a stronger performance this year. Further competition will come from second-ranked Germans Barbara MENSING and Cornelia PFOHL.
Great Britain did well in Barcelona, capturing the bronze in men's team and individual competition. The U.S. men's team impressed the competition at the Grand Prix, prompting a Korean team member to remark, "I never expected the U.S. to shoot that well. It was a total surprise." Korea currently holds the men's team record, and is confident it will come out on top. However, despite their confidence and consistently good showing, by Asia Cup gold medalist Bo Ram KIM and Atlanta Grand Prix winner, newcomer Yong-Ho JANG, it will be a fight to the top.
The former Soviet Union/Unified Team has taken a strong hit with the political changes, but there may be some strong individual performances by Yuriy LEONTIEV and Valeri LYSENKO, both of Russia, in the men's competition. On the women's side, four women are in the top 10 world rankings: Natalia VALEEVA (MLA), Elena TOUTATCHIKOVA (RUS), Natalya BYELUCHA (UKR) and Olga YAKOUSHEVA (BLR).
The new competition format for Olympic archery has made it harder to point to "the best archer in the world." There was a time when the gold medalist was considered the year's top archer. Now, archers earn points at major FITA event designated as "world ranking tournaments" 32 points for a win down to 1 point for a 32nd-place finish. Those points are then multiplied by a number (4 1), depending on the importance of the tournament, and added together to determine an archer's current ranking. So now, an Olympic medal is only part of what determines who to call the best. Following are some of the men and women who hope to take a step closer to earning or defending (for LIPPONEN and VALEEVA) that "world's best" title by medalling in Atlanta.
1. | LIPPONEN, Jari | FIN |
2. | GROV, Martinus | NOR |
3. | BISIANI, Matteo | ITA |
4. | LEE, Kyung-Chul | KOR |
LEONTIEV, Yuriy | RUS | |
6. | WU, Tsung-Yi | TPE |
7. | BARRS, Jay | USA |
8. | JOTOV, Ivan | BUL |
9. | MATSUSHITA, Takayoshi | JPN |
10. | LYSENKO, Valeri | RUS |
1. | VALEEVA, Natalia | (MLA) |
2. | MENSING, Barbara | (GER) |
3. | ALTINKAYNAK, Elif | (TUR) |
4. | PFOHL, Cornelia | (GER) |
5. | ARJANNIKOVA, Ludmila | (NED) |
6. | NASARIDZE, Natalia | (TUR) |
7. | TOUTATCHIKOVA, Elena | (RUS) |
8. | PARKER, Denise | (USA) |
9. | YOUM, Youn-Ja | (KOR) |
10. | BYELUCHA, Natalya | (UKR) |
YAKOUSHEVA, Olga | (BLR) |
*Current as of press time.
This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for
the Olympic Games Sports Publication Department. Written by Howard
Thomas.
| The Mother Nature was kind to Olympic athletes and spectators. The average high temperature during the Games was 89 degrees with an average low of 72 degrees. Highest temperature registered (20 July) - 99 degrees. Lowest high temperature registered is 79 degrees (28 July). |