Olympics-Archery-South Korea’s Jang stunned by Japan’s Nakamura in individual contest

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Archery - Women’s Individual - 1/16 Finals - Yumenoshima Archery Field, Tokyo, Japan - July 28, 2021. Jang Minhee of South Korea in action REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

By Ju-min Park

TOKYO (Reuters) - South Korean archer Jang Minhee, a gold medallist in the team competition and ranked second-top seed for the women’s individual matchplay contest, was knocked out on Wednesday by Japan’s unheralded Miki Nakamura.

Nakamura won 6-2, shooting more perfect 10s in their match-up in hot, blustery conditions in Tokyo.

The Japanese archer said the win was her first against a rival from South Korea, long dominant in the sport, with the women’s team matching the longest gold streak by a single country with its ninth straight medal in Tokyo.

“I was really nervous but trying to keep my pace. Wind was helping too, but I am going to be humble for the next round,” Nakamura said after her win. She said cheers from home fans and familiarity with Tokyo’s weather was an advantage for her.

After the loss, South Korea’s Jang choked up and was unable to answer reporters’ questions before leaving the event.

Her defeat came after teammate Kim Je Deok, nicknamed the “archery genius”, who won two golds in teams’ events, also lost in the men’s individual round on Tuesday.

NO OTHER UPSETS

The world’s reigning champion Brady Ellison advanced to the men’s individual round of 8 match after two 6-0 clean-sweep wins.

“It’s gone better than any of the other things out so far,” Ellison said after he defeated India’s Pravin Jadhav.

Ellison lost chances to win medals in the team’s events earlier, but said he could score wins in the individual round because he could focus solely on himself.

“I get to be selfish. Saying that may sound weird, but, you know, right now it’s all about me and I don’t worry about the team or anything else,” he said.

Two South Korean archers - Kang Chaeyoung and Kim Woojin - also made it to the round of eight in the women and men’s individuals.

(Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell and Hugh Lawson)