Archer Kim Woo-jin named MVP of National Sports Festival

Kim Woo-jin, 22 (Cheongju City Government team), who set two world records in men’s archery competition, has been named the most valuable player of the 95th National Sports Festival. In a vote of reporters on Monday, when the event’s closing ceremony took place, Kim clinched the honor for the first time by winning 20 votes, defeating swimmer Park Tae-hwan (Incheon Metropolitan Government team), who acquired eight votes. It is the first time in 10 years that the MVP has been produced in the archery category at a Korean Sports Festival after Park Seong-hyeon at the 2004 event.

Kim Woo-jin scored 352 points overall from 36 shots at men’s 70-meter recurve competition for adults on Wednesday last week, setting a new world record. It is the first time in four years that a world record has been set among all different sports at the National Sports Festival. On Thursday, Kim scored 1,391 points overall in the four distances of 30 meters, 50 meters, 70 meters and 90 meters, setting a new world record again. He tied the world record by scoring the full score of 360 points in the 30-meter competition. Kim, a triple gold medalist at the Jeju event, said, “I had a slump since the 2012 London Olympics, and I think I have gained significant momentum in performance from this year’s National Sports Festival.”

Park Tae-hwan, a winner of four gold medals at this year’s National Sports Festival, sought to win his fifth MVP at the event, but failed to beat Kim Woo-jin who set two world records. Gyeonggi Province was the winner overall for the 13th consecutive event.