Archers at the Paris 2024 Olympics nearly suffered a major buzzkill when bees flew into break their concentration during competition.
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As anticipated, South Korea has excelled in archery at the games, securing gold medals in both the men’s and women’s team events. Their strong performance is expected to carry on into the individual competitions currently in progress, as well as the mixed team event set to commence on Friday.
They’ll be crossing their fingers that their Olympics season doesn’t turn into a bust, especially after some fans spotted some mischievous bees that nearly stung their medal chances.
In a viral video circulating on social media, a massive bee lands on the hand of a female archer just as she is about to release her arrow.
Meanwhile, Kim Je-deok and his teammates advanced to the semi-finals in their pursuit of South Korea’s third consecutive gold medal in the event. However, as they faced China in the third set, they found themselves trailing with just two arrows left to clinch victory.
Another Olympics Archer Distracted By a Meddling Bee
As Kim positioned himself to take aim at the target, a bee began to buzz around him. He was seen trying to swat it away while maintaining his focus on the routine, only to have the insect settle on his right hand.
Despite the distractions, an Olympic heart rate monitor revealed that Kim’s pulse remained steady at approximately 80 beats per minute. His calm demeanor proved crucial as he hit the bullseye with a flawless shot, scoring a perfect 10.
Teammate Kim Woo-jin added another 10 points, securing the victory and a spot in the final.
“As I approached the shooting line, a bee appeared,” Kim later told reporters, per The Sun. “I shooed it away but it followed me. When it landed on my hand, I reminded myself, ‘This is the Olympics,’ and I couldn’t lower my arms. I had a strong determination to shoot.”
In a remarkable feat, Kim secured gold as South Korea triumphed over France with a 5-1 victory in the final. This achievement came on the heels of their earlier success in the women’s team event in Paris.
At just 20 years old, Kim has already made an impressive mark in the world of sports, having won gold medals in the men’s team and mixed events at the age of 17 during the Tokyo Games three years ago. Now a three-time gold medallist, he still has the potential to add a fourth to his remarkable achievements.
Kim faces South Africa’s Wian Roux on Wednesday night in the men’s individual competition.