Biography:
Chang Hye-jin (Korean: ; Korean pronunciation: [t.çe.din] or [t] [çe.din]; born 13 May 1987) is a South Korean former recurve archer. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, Chang was the Olympic champion in both the women’s individual and women’s team events at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She is also a former number one-ranked recurve archer, having headed the World Archery Rankings between 2017 and 2019.
Chang Hye-jin was born on 13 May 1987 in the city of Daegu. She was first introduced to archery at the age of eleven and participated in her first national tournament two years later. She won her first tournament during her second year of high school in Daegu. After studying at Daegu’s Keimyung University, she joined the Seoul-based LH team to shoot professionally. As of August 2018, she remains a member of the LH team.
Chang made her international debut in 2008 at the World University Games held in Chinese Taipei. The following year, she was selected to compete in the Summer Universiade in Belgrade and won a gold medal in the women’s team recurve event. She successfully qualified for the South Korean senior team in 2010 but narrowly missed out on selection for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, placing fourth in the national team trials.
Chang made her debut at the biennial World Archery Championships in 2013, where she won the women’s team recurve title with Ki Bo-bae and Yun Ok-hee after defeating Belarus in a low-scoring final. Eleven months later, she won two medals at the 2014 Asian Games, reaching the gold medal match in both the women’s team and women’s individual recurve events. With teammates Jung Dasomi and Lee Tuk-young, she secured South Korea’s fifth consecutive women’s team title after a comfortable victory over China but was outshot by Jung in the individual final.
In the spring of 2016, Chang won qualification for the South Korean Olympic team on her second attempt, joining the reigning Olympic champion Ki Bo-bae and the women’s recurve world number one Choi Mi-sun for the women’s individual and women’s team events. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Chang achieved incredible success by winning gold medals in both the women’s individual and women’s team events. Her exceptional talent and skill earned her the title of Olympic champion.
Chang’s achievements were not limited to the Olympics. Throughout her career, she won numerous team gold medals at the World Archery Championships, the World Cup finals, the Asian Games, and the Summer Universiade. She also had an impressive individual performance, finishing as the women’s individual runner-up at the 2017 World Championships.
Chang retired from competitive archery in 2022, leaving behind a remarkable legacy. Her dedication, determination, and extraordinary archery skills have made her one of the most successful and respected archers of her time. Chang’s achievements have not only brought immense pride to her country but have also inspired countless individuals, demonstrating what can be achieved through hard work and perseverance. She is a true icon in the world of archery and a source of inspiration for future generations of athletes.
Awards:
– Olympic gold medalist in the women’s individual event at the 2016 Summer Olympics
– Olympic gold medalist in the women’s team event at the 2016 Summer Olympics