Individual, Women

South Korea’s position as the supreme nation in women’s archery had been secure since the mid-80s but they suffered a major shock at the 2011 World Championships when they were frozen out of the individual medals and could only muster bronze in the team event. Despite that setback, Korea still had a strong team and Ki Bo-Bae was considered co-favourite with Deepika Kumari who was bidding to be the first Indian woman to an Olympic title.

The women’s qualifying round was a much closer affair than the men’s equivalent with three women level on 671. Ki Bo-Bae topped the standings after by scoring more tens than compatriot Lee Seong-Jin and Tan Ya-Ting of Taipei.

For the London Games the format of the knockout rounds had changed from the previous Olympics. In Beijing matches were decided over the cumulative score of 12 arrows but in 2012 matches consisted of up to 5 sets of 3 arrows (with 2 points to the winner of each set and 1 for a tie), winner was the first player to reach 6 points. In case of a tie, matches were decided with a single arrow, the one closest to the centre winning the match. In theory this should have for a more dramatic, albeit unpredictable, tournament than before.

The first knockout round saw the exit of out of form world champion Denisse van Lamoen of Chile and more notably of world number one Deepika Kumari who lost to Britain’s Amy Oliver. There were few further major shocks until the quarter-final stage and then only in the bottom half of the draw as the Mexican pairing of Aída Román and Mariana Avitia both beat higher seeded opponents to ensure that they faced each other in the semi-finals. Román won and would then face Ki Bo-Bae in the gold medal match. After the requisite 5 sets the two archers were level on 5 points apiece so for the first time in Olympic history the women’s title would be decided by a single arrow shoot-off. Just as the shoot-off began a strong gust of wind blew up and neither woman could score better than an 8 but as Ki’s arrow was almost touching the gold sector she won the Olympic title. After her victory Ki burst into tears and apologised to the Korean nation for winning the gold by shooting an 8. “Koreans do not shoot eights” she said.

Avitia earned another medal for Mexico in the bronze medal match making the first time Mexico had won two medals in the same event since 1984. Although neither had particularly successful Games Natalia Valeeva of Italy and Great Britain’s Alison Williamson at least had the consolation of equalling the record for most appearances by an archer at the Olympic Games. For both it was their sixth Olympics.