'First Asian Games' Ansan: "We're ready, we'll do our best, and the result will be good"

Korean archery aims for all-round victory when it arrives in Hangzhou on Sunday
Three-time Tokyo Olympian An San competes in her first Asian Games

Three-time Olympic champion An San (22-Gwangju Women's University) is set to compete in her first Asian Games.

On Sunday, the world's strongest archery team, including Ahn, departed for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games through Incheon International Airport.

Speaking ahead of her departure, Ahn said, "I have prepared well by maximizing my physical condition. The entire Korean archery team has made good preparations, so if we do our best, we will have good results."

The team, led by head coach Kim Sung-hoon, is determined to win all 10 gold medals in recurve and compound at the Games.

An won the women's individual, team and mixed events at Tokyo 2020, becoming the first archery triple winner in Olympic history. She also became the first Korean athlete to win three Summer Games titles.

This is her first time at the Asian Games. "It feels a little different (from the Olympics). It's my first time at the Asian Games, so even if I don't do well, I'm going to experience it," she said.

"We don't want to dwell on what we did at the Olympics because it's already over," he added.

Unlike the Olympics, where all three athletes can compete in the individual event, only two athletes per country can compete in the individual event.

Only the top two of the four South Korean athletes in the ranking round will compete in the individual competition. Even Ahn, a three-time Olympic champion, can't compete in the individual competition if she doesn't finish among the top two Korean athletes.

"At the Olympics, there are three athletes and all three can compete in the individual competition, but at the Asian Games, there are four athletes and only two can compete in the individual competition, so I think there will be more sensitivity," An said, "but I prepared with the mindset of just being comfortable rather than obsessing about the individual competition."

In the past, when preparing for major competitions such as the Olympics, World Championships, and Asian Games, the federation has set up a set similar to the actual stadium to help athletes adapt. This time, the set was set up at the Jincheon Athletes' Village.

"I want to focus the competition on my personal archery attitude and feelings, rather than my performance goals," An said.

Archery will begin with the ranking round on Oct. 1 and run through Oct. 7. It's usually held earlier in the schedule at IOCs, but this time it's at the end.

"In the past, I used to go to nearby stadiums to cheer for athletes in other sports, but this time it's behind the schedule, and I wonder why," An said.

"I kept watching the Asian Games. Yesterday, I watched fencer Yoon Ji-su and swimmer Ji Yoo-chan compete," he said, adding, "I think the Asian Games will be more real when I enter the athletes' village." casinosite.zone