Lim Sihyeon did not waste any time showcasing her exceptional archery abilities at the 2024 Olympics.
The South Korean archer dazzled at the women's qualifying event Thursday, setting a new world and Olympic record with her showing. It also earned her a spot in the quarterfinals.
"It’s my first Olympics so I wanted to give it everything," Lim said. "I prepared for it. And then I just tried to enjoy it. The result followed."
LIM SIHYEON.
— World Archery (@worldarchery) July 25, 2024
🔥6️⃣9️⃣4️⃣🔥
WORLD RECORD.
OLYMPIC RECORD.#ArcheryinParis #archery pic.twitter.com/4LGXcT7NlM
The 21-year-old archer is the No. 2 ranked player in the world behind Team USA's Casey Kaufhold. Lim, who is making her Olympic debut, is one of the favorites to win gold in the individual event.
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Lim Sihyeon archery record
Lim scored a new world record of 694 to lead the women's individual ranking round. She shot 49 tens and 21 bullseyes en route to the historic mark. She nearly hit a score of 700, which has only been done twice, both times by men.
Her score is two more than the previous best of 692, which was set by fellow South Korean Kang Chae Young at the Hyundai World Archery Championships in 2019.
The mark of 694 is also 14 points more than the Olympic record of 680, which was set by South Korea's An San three years ago. An won three gold medals at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and was expected to defend her titles before a shocking early exit at the national team trials earlier this year, which caused her to miss out on a spot on the Olympic team.
Lim helped South Korea finish first in the women's team qualifier as well. The group as a whole set an Olympic record with a round of 2,046 points.
"Qualification is just the beginning of everything," Lim said. "So instead of feeling the pressure, I will try to get through it, one by one."
The country is bidding for a 10th individual gold medal and 10th consecutive women's team gold. The South Korean women have yet to lose in the Olympic team event since it was first introduced at the 1988 Games.
