The Archery Association of India (AAI) appointed South Korea’s Baek Woong Ki as the head coach for Indian recurve archers with an eye on the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Baek Woong Ki was the coach of South Korea’s women’s recurve archery contingent that returned with gold medals in both team and individual events at the London 2012 Olympics.
The 61-year-old Woong Ki, who will be India’s first full-time foreign coach since 2014, was part of the coaching team at Sports Authority of India’s Centre of Excellence in Sonipat before being handed the top job till the Olympics.
Woong Ki is currently supervising the Indian team at Archery World Cup 2023 Stage 1 in Antalya, Turkey.
The South Korean coach is accompanied by Sergio Pagni, the 44-year-old former world champion from Italy, who is coaching the Indian compound archery team in Antalya.
Sergio Pagni has been associated with India’s compound archery team since the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Indian archery contingent for Archery World Cup 2023 Stage 1 comprises eight compound and eight recurve archers. While Olympians Atanu Das and Tarundeep Rai will lead India’s charge in recurve archery, world championships silver medallist Jyothi Surekha Vennam will be India’s top challenger among compound archers.
The qualification window for Paris 2024 Olympics for recurve archers will open in July 2023. Compound archery is not part of the Olympic programme but is included at the World Games.
