“I held on and held on with the thought, ‘Because I’m still holding the bow.'”
Korea’s women’s archery compound Oh Yu-hyeon (34, Jeonbuk Provincial Office) is a ‘roly-poly’. She started off as a recurve player and continued her playing career with her unemployment team. Her injuries were holding her back. She was on the verge of retirement, but she gritted her teeth and persevered. She switched to compounding in 2016 and is now the ‘eldest member’ of her compound team, aiming for her first Asian Games gold medal.
In a recent interview with Sports Chosun, Oh Yoo-hyeon said, “I have been playing archery since elementary school. I played archery in elementary, middle, and high schools with recurve, and even on the corporate team. When I was 26, I was thinking about retiring due to a shoulder injury. At that time, a coach recommended compound. So. I started the compound late. It’s been about 3 years since I wore the Taegeuk symbol. Although I’m the eldest in the team, I don’t have a lot of experience. I’m trying hard to work well with my colleagues. We’re all running toward our goal together. “It seems like we’re sticking together. We’re taking care of each other,” he said with a laugh.안전놀이터
Although her experience with the compound national team is short, she is as solid as the life experience she has built up over the years. He said, “During my career as an athlete, there were times when I was happy because my grades were good, and there were times when I had a hard time because I hit rock bottom due to a slump. It was repetition. I went through such difficult times several times and kept holding on, thinking, ‘This is also a passing period in my archery life.’ I just held on and held on, thinking, ‘I’m still holding the bow, and my goal is not over.’ Mental management is really difficult, especially since compound is an accumulator, so you can’t make mistakes.
He serves as a playing coach for his team, Jeonbuk Provincial Office. Oh Yoo-hyeon said, “When I played as a player, I only played on the firing line. I didn’t know what I could see behind it. Now I stand on the firing line and coach someone from behind. I learned what I had missed on the firing line. I feel like my perspective has broadened. The leaders “I understood better what was being said,” he said.
Oh Yoo-hyun, who is about to compete in her first Asian Games, is on an upward curve. He won the individual championship in the compound women’s division of the recently held 2023 Hyundai Motors Chung Mong-Goo Cup Korea Archery Competition. Oh Yoo-hyeon said, “After being selected for this year’s national team, I have continued to manage my physical strength because I thought the schedule would be tight. I received physical therapy to manage my shoulder condition. I am also managing my physical strength through weight training.”
He said, “We have to play the Asian Games, and we have to do it. I want to do well. I think I’ve been preparing for the Asian Games since last year. Not only me but my teammates are working hard and sweating to prepare with the goal of winning all the titles. This year, India is competing in the international competition. We are gaining momentum by continuing to produce good results. However, all of our players are equally talented. We are giving them confidence that no matter who they face, not just India, we can trust each other and just do it. We will repay you with good results as much as we have prepared hard. “He said.