KARACHI: South Korea claimed the first world records of London 2012 with a stunning display in the men's archery ranking round at Lord's.
South Korean Archer Im Dong-hyun sees only blurred colours and lines when he peers toward the target about 76 yards away, arrow at the ready. It doesn’t stop the legally blind Olympian from hitting the grapefruit-sized yellow centre again and again and again.
Hyun’s achievements are all the more remarkable when you consider that he is legally blind.
He is afflicted with severe myopia that makes his sight 20/200, roughly 10 times worse than a normal person's.
Alongside Kim Bubmin and Oh Jin-hyek he helped register a 216-arrow total of 2,087, smashing the world record by 18 points.
The day's shooting got under way in perfect conditions, with the Korean trio setting the standard from the off.
Hyun, who won team gold at the 2008 and 2004 Games, lost his world number one ranking to American Brady Ellison in 2011 but has been in sensational form in the lead-up to the London Games, winning the test event at Lord's late last year and setting the previous record of 696 in Turkey in May.
"It's just the first round so I won't get too excited about it," he said.
He will face 64th ranked Archer Emanuele Guidi of San Marino in the first round. Guidi scored 110 points less than Hyun.
South Korean head coach Jang Young-sool was delighted his team had shot so well in the ranking round and said the damp drizzly conditions had not been a problem.
"It was good weather to shoot," he told media. "A world record gives us confidence for the rest of the competition."
Despite winning the last three team gold medals, South Korea's men have yet to win the individual title.
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