South Korea Secures Third Straight Men's Team Archery Gold Against France

South Korea triumphed over France in the men's team archery final, despite a fervent home crowd. The first set ended 57-all, but South Korea clinched the second and third sets, winning 5-1 overall on Monday at Les Invalides.

The South Korean team, consisting of Kim Woo-jin, Kim Je-deok, and Lee Woo-seok, secured their third consecutive team gold. French fans waved flags and cheered loudly whenever their archers scored a 10, staying engaged even as South Korea dominated the third set.

South Korea's Dominance in Archery

Kim Woo-jin acknowledged the challenge posed by the enthusiastic French audience. "While we were facing the French team, there was a lot of cheers from the audience," he said. "That was the biggest challenge."

Kim Woo-jin has been part of the last three winning teams but has yet to win individual gold. He will compete for it on August 4 and participate in the mixed team competition on August 2. "I think that some of my first initial goals are already met because those were my initial targets," he said. "And now I have my individual games left."

France's Historic Achievement

France's Baptiste Addis, Thomas Chirault, and Jean-Charles Valladont received loud cheers from fans as they stepped up to the podium with the Eiffel Tower in view. Chirault expressed pride in their achievement: "It's true that we're making history today. We have the first silver medal for the men's team."

Chirault added, "We had medals in individuals or for women, but this one, we didn't have it. So now we're opening the games and we hope to have others after. So we're very proud to have opened this medal count."

Turkey's Bronze Victory

Turkey secured bronze by defeating China 6-2. This marks Turkey's first medal since archery returned to the Olympics in 1972. Mete Gazoz added to his accolades, having won individual gold in Tokyo.

South Korea's victory marks their seventh team gold medal since archery's return to the Olympics in 1972. No other nation has won more than once during this period.

The French fans' unwavering support highlighted their passion for archery, even as South Korea emerged victorious. The event showcased both nations' dedication and skill in the sport.