Lim Si-hyeon Sets Olympic Record Ahead of Paris Games

South Korean archer Lim Si-hyeon made headlines by breaking the world and Olympic record in the women's individual ranking round at the Esplanade des Invalides, Paris. Leading a strong Korean squad, Lim aims for her country's 10th individual and consecutive team golds. The venue and technological preparations are highlighted.

South Korean archer Lim Si-hyeon made an emphatic statement on Thursday by setting a world and Olympic record in the women's individual ranking round at the stunning Esplanade des Invalides in Paris. Lim, at just 21, shot a remarkable 694, surpassing the previous record of 692 held by compatriot and 2020 Olympic champion Sang Chae-young.

Lim heads a young and ambitious Korean team aiming for a 10th individual gold medal and an unprecedented 10th consecutive women's team gold. Since the women's team event was introduced in the 1988 Olympics, the Korean women have remained undefeated.

Team GB's Bryony Pitman, who finished 41st out of 64, commented, "They're always up there. The money they invest is unlike any other country. They've been training against a robot that consistently hits the 10. They are as prepared as you could possibly be."

The venue, Esplanade des Invalides, offers an 8,000-seat capacity next to the historic golden dome of the Hotel des Invalides. The sprawling complex, commissioned by Louis XIV in 1670, now serves as a collection of museums and monuments dedicated to France's military history, including the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte.

World number one Casey Kaufhold, who ranked fourth with a score of 672, poses a significant challenge to Lim, aiming to be the first American female individual gold medallist since 1976. Turkish Olympic champion Mete Gazoz and world number one Marcus D'Almeida of Brazil are top contenders for the men's individual gold.

Korea has won a record 43 Olympic archery medals, with 27 being gold—13 more than the second-placed United States. Their state-of-the-art training facility employs AI technology to track and correct every aspect of an athlete's shot. The men's individual ranking round is scheduled for later on Thursday.

(With inputs from agencies.)