South Korean shooter Oh Se-hee eyes second straight world title

The sharp crack of the rifle and the satisfying thud of a bullet hitting the bullseye are music to Oh Se-hee's ears. "The sound of 'bang, bang' is good. I want to shoot more," said the 20-year-old, a double world champion last year, after the fifth round of national team selections for the 2026 World Championships in Qatar.

Oh Se-hee dominated the selection event, clinching first place in her specialty, the women's 50m rifle 3 positions, and second in the team event. She secured a total of three gold and two silver medals. Despite a malfunction in the final where the trigger delayed firing, she managed an emergency fix and maintained her focus to win.

If she passes the final selection round in early September, Oh Se-hee will aim for a second consecutive world title in the 50m rifle 3 positions at the 2025 World Championships. However, the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, with preliminary rounds on September 25 and finals on the 26, is an equally important stage. Competing alongside experienced shooters like Kim Bo-kyung and Kim Ji-eun, Oh Se-hee is naturally targeting gold medals in both individual and team events.

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The sound of 'bang, bang' is good. I want to shoot more.

Her performance has been on an upward trajectory, setting a non-official world record of 364.3 points in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions at the Hong Beom-do General's Shooting Competition held in South Korea in June. "I've gained more confidence since winning the World Championships (individual and team) late last year," Oh Se-hee shared. "Shooting is a mental game, and it feels good when I see the bullet hit the target after the gun fires."

The 50m rifle 3 positions event involves kneeling, prone, and standing shots, with the target significantly farther than in other disciplines. The explosive power of gunpowder is crucial. The targets are exposed outdoors, making them susceptible to wind and weather conditions. The rifle itself weighs over 5 kilograms, and the stiff shooting uniform often causes athletes to sweat profusely while maintaining stability.

Despite these challenges, Oh Se-hee has never found it difficult. She picked up a rifle in her third year of middle school, relatively late. "When I entered high school, I fell in love with the 50m 3 positions," she explained. "I like the smell of gunpowder and the strong recoil. It's thrilling to find the timing to hit the center of the target amidst the slightest tremor of the barrel."

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I've gained more confidence since winning the World Championships (individual and team) late last year. Shooting is a mental game, and it feels good when I see the bullet hit the target after the gun fires.

The 50m rifle 3 positions competition requires shooting 20 shots in each position during the preliminary rounds, totaling 60 shots. The finals are decided by 10 shots each in the kneeling and prone positions, followed by 15 shots in the standing position. Athletes must master their shooting routines within a set time limit. They frequently practice predicting scores after a shot and refining their aim by checking the monitor.

Jang Hyun-tae, coach at Chungbuk Health and Science University, noted, "I can tell by looking at a player's eyes. Se-hee doesn't shoot when she's scared. She takes control of her surroundings while shooting."

To engage spectators, music plays and noise levels are high even during shooting at the venue. However, Oh Se-hee's competitive nature allows her to focus more on the match. Physical training is also essential. "I need to be able to hold the rifle steadily against my body and maintain my posture for a long time," Oh Se-hee said. "I regularly train my core and back muscles, as well as my endurance."

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I like the smell of gunpowder and the strong recoil. It's thrilling to find the timing to hit the center of the target amidst the slightest tremor of the barrel.

After firing 60 shots in the preliminary rounds and 35 in the finals, one might expect exhaustion, but Oh Se-hee's response is, "I want to shoot more."

While prominent names in South Korean women's shooting include Paris Olympics gold medalists like Ban Hyo-jin (10m air rifle), Oh Ye-jin (10m air pistol), and Yang Ji-in (25m pistol), Oh Se-hee, the 50m 3 positions world champion, is a dark horse who will contribute to the team's goal of winning five gold and nine silver medals at the Asian Games.

Achieving a 10.9 score by hitting the center of the target at the 50m finals range is a remarkable feat. While missing the mark can be stressful, she finds solace in the words tattooed on her inner right arm: "Don't dwell on past shots, do your best on the current one." This innate competitor continues to focus on the present, pulling the trigger one shot at a time.

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I can tell by looking at a player's eyes. Se-hee doesn't shoot when she's scared. She takes control of her surroundings while shooting.