Shooter Yang Ji-in targets multiple golds at Asian Games after Olympic, World Championship success

South Korean shooting star Yang Ji-in, fresh off her gold medal victory at the Paris Olympics, is now setting her sights on conquering the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The 23-year-old athlete, representing Woori Bank, aims to add more accolades to her already impressive collection.

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The time since the Olympics has passed so quickly. My Olympic performance was so good that it created pressure, but I'm training hard to overcome it.

Yang solidified her status as a national shooting icon by winning the women's 25m pistol event at the Paris Olympics. She also secured gold medals in both the individual and team 25m pistol events at the 2025 ISSF World Championships in Cairo, demonstrating her consistent dominance on the international stage.

Reflecting on her Olympic triumph, Yang admitted to feeling increased pressure but is channeling it into rigorous training. "The time since the Olympics has passed so quickly. My Olympic performance was so good that it created pressure, but I'm training hard to overcome it," she stated during a recent session at the Jincheon National Training Center.

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Last time, my thought was more about enjoying the game than winning a medal. But now, as a general adult player, I am competing with the determination to take responsibility.

At her previous Asian Games appearance in Hangzhou, Yang won two bronze medals as a university student. Despite facing a mid-competition stoppage due to equipment malfunction, she persevered. Now, as a seasoned professional, she approaches the upcoming games with a greater sense of responsibility.

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They change their national representatives for each competition, which means they haven't been able to maintain their position among so many athletes. It also means that the newly selected national team members are the same. I think we are one step ahead, so I don't pay much attention to them.

Yang remains unfazed by the formidable competition from shooting powerhouses China and India. "They change their national representatives for each competition, which means they haven't been able to maintain their position among so many athletes," she asserted, expressing a belief in her own team's superiority. Her primary goal is team victory, believing it will pave the way for individual success in the finals.

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I want to win all the events I participate in, but the primary goal is team victory. If the team does well, I can make it to the individual finals, and if I make it to the finals, I can definitely aim for a medal, so I am focusing on the team event first.