Kim Je-deok

Lore & Background

Kim Je-deok began archery in 2013 at age nine. In 2016, at age 12, he appeared on SBS's variety show Finding Genius, earning the nickname 'Archery Genius'. At the 2019 World Archery Youth Championships, he won gold in the team and mixed team events and a bronze in the individual event. In late 2019, during national selection for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he placed 14th in the first round but withdrew due to shoulder impingement syndrome. The one-year postponement of the Tokyo Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic allowed him to recover. He re-entered national team selection on 27 March 2021, placing 5th, and then finished third in the Tokyo Olympic national team selection match on 23 April, qualifying for the Olympics. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, he scored 688 points in the men's ranking round, beating world record holder Brady Ellison (682 points) for first place. He partnered with An San in the mixed team event, becoming Olympic champions after defeating Steve Wijler and Gabriela Schloesser of the Netherlands. During the mixed team finals, a rare 'Robin Hood arrow' occurred when an arrow from An San penetrated Kim Je-deok's arrow; the arrows and uniforms were donated to the IOC and displayed at the IOC Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. At age 17 years and 3 months, he became the youngest medalist in Korean men's archery history. He won a second gold in the men's team event with Oh Jin-hyek and Kim Woo-jin. In the individual round, he lost to Florian Unruh of Germany (7-3) in the round of 32. He gained fame for passionately cheering 'Fighting' 15 times for his teammates. At the 2024 Summer Olympics, he won gold in the men's team event with Kim Woo-jin and Lee Woo-seok.

Reader's Guide

Kim Je-deok's career illustrates how injury and the pandemic's delay created an opportunity for recovery and Olympic qualification. His 688-point ranking round at the 2020 Olympics surpassed the world record holder, establishing his precision. The mixed team gold with An San, highlighted by the rare 'Robin Hood arrow', became a memorable moment in Olympic archery history, with artifacts preserved at the IOC Museum. His two golds in 2020 made him the youngest Korean men's archery medalist. Although he did not medal individually, his enthusiastic support for teammates became a notable aspect of his Olympic presence. His third gold in the men's team event at the 2024 Olympics, alongside Kim Woo-jin and Lee Woo-seok, confirmed his sustained excellence in team competition. His trajectory from a youth champion to a three-time Olympic gold medalist underscores his role in South Korea's dominant archery program.

Did You Know?

• He was the youngest archer competing at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
• He scored 688 points in the men's ranking round at the 2020 Olympics, beating world record holder Brady Ellison.
• During the mixed team finals, a 'Robin Hood arrow' occurred when An San's arrow penetrated Kim Je-deok's arrow.
• He cheered 'Fighting' 15 times for his teammates at the 2020 Olympics.