‘Gold Medalist’ Shooter Ban Hyo-jin’s Unexpected Asian Games Goal: ‘Reach the Finals’… Why?

South Korean shooting sensation Ban Hyo-jin, fresh off gold medals at the Paris Olympics and World Championships, has set her sights on a surprisingly modest goal for the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games: reaching the finals. The 19-year-old, who became the youngest South Korean athlete at the Olympics and secured the nation's 100th Olympic gold medal in the women's 10m air rifle, also won gold at the 2025 Cairo World Championships. Now, she is set to compete in the individual and team events at the Asian Games, with a potential for a third medal in the mixed team event. However, Ban expressed a different ambition than many of her peers. "My goal for the Asian Games is to reach the finals," she stated, a seemingly humble objective for a world-ranked fourth athlete. Ban explained that after her unexpected Olympic and World Championship victories, her new aspiration was a 'Grand Slam.' "But I won the gold medals at the Olympics and World Championships in situations I didn't expect at all," she said. "I'm not expecting a win at the Asian Games either, so whether an unexpected result will come out, we'll have to see when we get there." Her strategy is to avoid excessive pressure by setting achievable goals, starting with qualifying for the finals and building from there. The weight of expectation is a constant challenge for Ban, who is still learning to manage the pressure. She draws on her past successes, reviewing her performance and mental approach to maintain her current condition and psychological state. She frequently watches her World Championship final performance, focusing on her confident shooting to replicate it. Ban is also contending with physical issues, having experienced worsening back and hip pain since early this year. This discomfort affects her endurance during training, causing her left foot to cramp after about 20 shots and lose sensation entirely after 40. She is working with coaches and medical staff to manage her condition, prioritizing treatment to ensure she can compete effectively.

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My goal for the Asian Games is to reach the finals.