Lee Chang-hwan
South Korean archer, Olympic gold medalist and record-breaker.
Lee Chang-hwan (born 16 March 1982) is a South Korean professional archer. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, he set an Olympic record during the second round of the individual competition, defeating Yusuf Ergin 117–109. He entered the tournament as the tenth seed after scoring 669 points in the ranking round, ten points behind leader Juan René Serrano. In the first round, he beat China’s Jiang Lin 112–108. His run ended in the third round against Cheng Chu-sian; both archers scored 105 points, and Cheng won the tiebreaker 19–18.
In the men’s team event, Lee joined Im Dong-hyun and Park Kyung-mo. Their combined ranking-round scores—Lee’s 669, Im’s 670, and Park’s 676—put South Korea first, earning a direct spot in the quarter-finals. There they defeated Poland 224–222, then beat host nation China 221–218 in the semi-finals. In the final, South Korea held off Italy 227–225 to win the gold medal. Lee had previously won a team gold at the 2006 Asian Games alongside Im Dong-hyun, Jang Yong-ho, and Park Kyung-mo.
- Born
- 16 March 1982
- Nationality
- South Korean
- Olympic games
- 2008 Summer Olympics
- Olympic medal
- Gold (men's team)
- Ranking round score
- 669 points
- Ranking round seed
- 10th
- Olympic record
- 117–109 (second round, individual)
Lore & Background
Lee Chang-hwan began his international career at the 2006 Asian Games, where he won a gold medal in the men's team event alongside Im Dong-hyun, Jang Yong-ho, and Park Kyung-mo. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, he finished the ranking round with 669 points, ten points behind leader Juan René Serrano, earning the tenth seed for the final competition bracket. In the first round he defeated Jiang Lin of China 112–108, and in the second round he beat Yusuf Ergin 117–109, breaking the Olympic record. However, in the third round he tied with Cheng Chu-sian at 105 points; in the extra round Lee scored 18 points to Cheng's 19, eliminating him from the individual competition.
Reader's Guide
Lee Chang-hwan's significance lies in his contribution to South Korea's dominance in Olympic archery. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, he was part of the men's team that won the gold medal. The team, consisting of Lee, Im Dong-hyun, and Park Kyung-mo, entered the quarter-finals as the top seed after the ranking round, where Lee scored 669, Im scored 670, and Park scored 676. They defeated Poland 224–222 in the quarter-finals, beat host nation China 221–218 in the semi-finals, and overcame Italy 227–225 in the final. His individual performance also included setting an Olympic record in the second round. Lee's achievements underscore the strength of South Korean archery on the world stage during this period.
Did You Know?
- Lee Chang-hwan broke the Olympic record in the second round of the individual event with a 117–109 victory over Yusuf Ergin.
- He was eliminated in the third round of the individual event after losing an extra round to Cheng Chu-sian 19–18.
- Lee won a gold medal in the men's team event at the 2008 Summer Olympics alongside Im Dong-hyun and Park Kyung-mo.
- He also won a gold medal at the 2006 Asian Games with the men's team consisting of himself, Im Dong-hyun, Jang Yong-ho, and Park Kyung-mo.
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