As shooting events go, the running target discipline has been on the periphery of the sport for years, no longer an Olympic event after being in the program from 1992 to 2004.
For the South Korean running target trio of Jeong You-jin, Ha Kwang-chul and Kwak Yong-bin, this means they only get to compete together at Asian Games every four years. In between, they compete for their respective semi-pro clubs at home.
The three combined for their second gold medal of the 19th Asiad in China on Tuesday, winning the men’s 10m running target mixed run team event. This came a day after they won the regular running target team event.
And just like that, they’re now going their separate ways, hoping to reunite for the next Asian Games in 2026 in Japan.
“We don’t even have enough running target shooters in Korea to have competitions,” Ha said. “You’d have to make the national team to form a running target team. And then we have to wait a few more years to win a medal together at the Asian Games. For now, this is the end of the run for us.”
Such is the fate of the shooters in such a unique event in the sport, the only one that involves a moving target. The shallow pool of talent explains why Jeong, at 39, competed in his fifth Asian Games here. Ha is 33, and Kwak is the young pup on the team at 29.
Their plight has brought the three shooters really close, Ha said.
In the running target event, there is no separate final for the team competition. Team rankings are determined simply by adding the scores of individual shooters. It may not seem as though it involves much in the way of teamwork.
Ha begged to differ.
“Honestly, we really have to trust each other and lean on each other,” Ha said. “I have to have faith that, if I mess up, then Yong-bin or You-jin will have my back, and vice versa. And we’ve been a tight team from the beginning.”
As close as the team has been, though, Kwak said he surprised himself with the two gold medals in two days.
“I didn’t win any medal at my two previous Asian Games. Honestly, my goal was to grab maybe silver or bronze in team events,” Kwak said. “I know I am not as good as my two teammates. I just wanted to make sure I wouldn’t hurt the team so much. This gold medal feels incredible.”
In addition to the team gold medals, Jeong bagged individual bronze medals in both the running target and the running target mixed run events. He now has nine Asiad medals under his belt.
“This gold medal is the most valuable medal I’ve won at the Asian Games,” Jeong said, choking back tears. “Even though I didn’t win any individual gold, winning the team gold with these two guys is awesome.”
Athletes in other, minor sports have to deal with a similar situation as these three shooters, with their events only being contested at Asian Games. Ha had this to say to those fellow athletes.
“We can’t decide what sports are part of the Olympics or not,” Ha said. “We should all just try to be the best athletes that we can be under the circumstances.”
As for their next Asian Games reunion, Jeong said: “I’ll give it a shot. I’d love to be out here again.”
Source: Yonhap News Agency