As high as his standards are though, a second seed place certainly still isn’t the end of the world for Woojin considering he’s already booked a ticket to the World Cup Final in Nanjing through winning at Shanghai 2025 as all stage winners do.
Like everyone else at the Antalya Centennial Archery Centre, Woojin was forced to aim 60 times amid unbearable heat but even without the motive of reaching Nanjing he managed to rise above the recurve men’s field bar D’Almeida.
It was only one point off the pole winning score but his 13 11s bettered by D’Almeida’s 18 proved to be the deciding factor and the defending champion of archery’s premier circuit felt as though a one-off extra point on offer made it that little bit more draining.
“I felt like I had to focus more because the rules changed,” said Woojin. “I think maybe everyone will take care of the 11 score because 11 is literally higher than 10, right?”
“So I cared about the 11 today as well and had to be more focused. I’ve felt more tired than before (in previous qualification rounds).”
Woojin’s lack of Korean compatriots in the top five was the biggest upset of the day as Seo Mingi, Lee Woo Seok and Kim Je Deok missed out in joining him high up the bracket, unable to repeat what they did in China last month.
There were no issues in the recurve women’s though as Lim (584), Kang (579), and An San (572) completed a Korean one-two-three in qualifications. Shanghai gold medallist Lee Gahyun finished the day as ninth seed.
World Cup action returns tomorrow at Antalya with both compound and recurve team eliminations occurring on the shooting line.
