For the first time in 15 years, the Archery World Cup circuit returned to South Korea, a nation synonymous with archery excellence. The second stage in Gwangju was a masterclass in home-field advantage, as the host nation claimed six out of the ten possible gold medals.
Recurve Dominance: A Clean Sweep for Korea
The Korean recurve team put on a clinical performance in the finals, sweeping every recurve gold medal except for the mixed team event.
- Men’s Individual: Three-time world champion Kim Woojin (South Korea) defeated teammate Lee Woo Seok 7–1 to take gold.
- Women’s Individual: Choi Misun (South Korea) secured her first individual World Cup gold since 2016 by defeating teammate Lee Gahyun.
- Men’s Team: The powerhouse trio of Kim Woojin, Kim Je Deok, and Lee Woo Seok swept Italy 6–0 in the final.
- Women’s Team: Korea (An San, Choi Misun, and Lee Gahyun) comfortably defeated Germany 5–1.
- Mixed Team: Germany’s Katharina Bauer and Felix Wieser broke the Korean streak, defeating the USA in a dramatic 5–3 final.
Compound Highlights: Historic Wins and Perfection
The compound events featured historic milestones and the continued dominance of "Mr. Perfect".
- Men’s Individual: Mike Schloesser (Netherlands) won his second consecutive stage gold of the season, overcoming India's Mohan Bhardwaj 149–141 in challenging wind conditions.
- Women’s Individual: Kim Yunhee made history as the first Korean woman to win a compound individual World Cup gold on home soil, defeating Spain’s Andrea Muñoz 144–140.
- Men’s Team: India’s trio (Abhishek Verma, Aman Saini, and Rajat Chauhan) repeated their Stage 1 success, defeating France 232–230 to take their second straight gold.
- Mixed Team: Chinese Taipei (Huang I-Jou and Chen Chieh-Lun) took the gold after defeating Estonia in the final.
Key Takeaways
- The "Korea" Factor: The host nation proved why they remain the standard for international archery, winning both individual recurve golds and both recurve team golds.
- Schloesser's Streak: With two golds in two stages, Mike Schloesser officially became the first archer to qualify for the 2022 World Cup Final.
- India's Compound Strength: India’s men’s compound team cemented their status as the world’s best by securing back-to-back golds in Antalya and Gwangju.
- Youth Movement: 18-year-old Andrea Muñoz (Spain) and debutant Steve Marsh (USA) both impressed by securing their first major World Cup medals.
