Women's team
Come on? You really thought something different was going to happen?
In the UK, at least, shortly before the Olympics started, the bookmakers were quoting odds of 4/5 that Korea would win the women’s team title, which now looks almost absurdly generous. After the dust on the ranking round had settled and it was clear that the serious threat from Chinese Taipei had apparently faded, as the sun rose over Yumenoshima Park on Sunday morning, some were quoting Korea as short as 1/16 on. At points, even that seemed generous. No one else came even close to their level. It sometimes seemed like they were playing a different game from the other archers on the field.
It was a day of unspectacular scores shot in brooding heat, dazzling sunshine and highly unpredictable, if mostly light, winds. It was also a day of surprises, with three of the last four qualifying in sixth, 10th and 12th (of 12) – even if there was no surprise about who ended up on top of the podium.
The day opened with Great Britain’s ship sinking instantly, sunk by an almost equally bad Italy. After that depressing opener, China, who had qualified in third place, had little to offer against a well-organised Belarus team, who were expected to have a short day on the field. Taipei, driven as ever by the talismanic Lei Chien-ying, showed a little of the form that took them to the world title, but ultimately were far too patchy, and a disastrous last set saw Germany, equally patchy, slip through to the quarter-finals. Kroppen, Schwarz and Unruh had to face the much-fancied Mexico, in second spot, but the wave of form that the Mexican women had ridden since Paris hit the beach hard, opening with two sets of 48, and closing with a 49. The firepower wasn’t there, and Germany had found some rhythm.
The USA’S women, qualifying in second place, never really got started against the ROC. Nothing worked for the Americans until the last set, but the ROC turned on the afterburners with a 57. Six nil. The bear had begun to roar, and it didn’t stop.
MEDAL MATCHES
Germany, who always seemed to be riding their luck a little, were overrun in the semifinal. But the bronze-medal match, on a field that had started to cool off a little, let Germany spread their wings against Belarus, whose luck had finally run out. Sets of 53 and 55 stretched the gap. Lisa Unruh, the anchor’s anchor, needed a 10 at the last to do the job, and she delivered one of the great pressure arrows in women’s history. Germany, unfancied, had grabbed bronze.
Korea had scorched every opponent into the ground, and only the ROC remained. Even so, it wasn’t perfect. In particular, Kang Chae Young seemed tense, and you sensed a little fear. An San, with her classical, elegant technique, has reminded some observers of Kim Soo-nyung in her imperious prime – and the tension from the previous day had
apparently gone. Anchoring them was the most mysterious member of all: Jang Minhee.
Her technique apparently involves a huge amount of back tension, wrapping everything around behind her head and locking in tight, reminding some of the older Korean men’s style. The huge drawlength, with her head cocked so far back and that long jawline, means her shot almost explodes off the bow. Somehow, it all just works.
The ROC put in three passable sets, but Korea’s 55, 56 and 54 was more than enough. They could have done it all day long against every other country’s team on the planet, and the result would have been the same. It was not perfect; a janky last set against Belarus in the semi was enough to win, but it meant that, perversely enough, bottom-ranked Belarus were the only team to take a point off the ladies in white all day.
WINNING FOREVER?
The reasons why the Korean national team win have been exhaustively explained; an almost bulletproof combination of money, professionalism, systematic training and a deep pride in their historical achievements that has never and probably will never be repeated anywhere else on the planet.
The Korean women’s team will probably win again in Paris in 2024, and may indeed never be beaten in Olympic competition. Many of the 11 other nations will be asking themselves questions about preparation, about selection, about rotations – about what might have been. Korea, more than ever, just turned up.
Even on the podium during the national anthem, the three women in white had contrasting styles. Kang Chae Young, who had endured the longest pain after just missing out on the team that went to Rio, was crying. Jang Minhee smiled her mysterious benign smile. And An San, claiming her second gold medal in 24 hours, just looked blankly straight ahead, like there was still plenty of the workday left.