An San delivered a career-best 72-arrow performance, posting a stunning 692 in the recurve women’s qualifications at the Gwangju 2025 Hyundai World Archery Championships on Tuesday.
Not only did she break her personal best of 686, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Champion’s score was higher than all 277 recurve archers at the Gwangju International Archery Centre, with the only exception being male compatriot Kim Woojin (701). The performance demonstrated the Korean precision in challenging, soaking conditions.
And she did it at home, in her native city of Gwangju.
“I’m so grateful to have won first place in the qualification in my hometown of Gwangju,” An San said as she returned from the target on the rain-soaked field. “I worked really hard, and this good result has me thinking I need to work hard to apply.
“We have the team and mixed events in the afternoon, and I hope to finish well by working together with my teammates.”
“I’m so, so nervous, however please give me all the praise and a round of applause for working hard.”
Paris 2024 Olympic Champion Lim Sihyeon and Hermosillo 2023 Hyundai World Cup Final winner Kang Chaeyoung also posted impressive totals, each scoring 689, proving the rain was no issue for the Koreans.
It was not a complete Korean sweep, however, as China’s 19-year-old Zhu Jingyi was just one point behind An San with 691. She even led Kim Woojin halfway through the 36-arrow mark.
She was even leading all time great Woojin halfway through after 36 arrows.
“I feel that the performance was good, and I just put everything aside and insisted on going up in scores,” said Zhu, who is yet to win a major international solo medal. “The real battlefield will be in the afternoon.”
Recurve team eliminations take place this afternoon.
