By Ju-min Park
TOKYO (Reuters) – An San kept South Korea’s Olympic flag flying in women’s archery on Friday, brushing off online criticism of her hairstyle to reach the final of what has been a mostly disappointing individual competition for her country.
Top-seeded An beat American Mackenzie Brown – herself subject to criticism on social media for choosing to compete unvaccinated against COVID-19 – in a tight semi-final that went to a shootoff.
An, already a double-gold-medallist at Tokyo 2020, became a target for online hostility at home after cutting her hair short, a look labelled “feminist” by some social media users.
That term has become associated with a rise in misogynist sentiment among South Korean young men..
If An wins her final later on Friday against Elena Osipova of the Russian Olympic Committee, she will become the first archer to win three golds at a single Games.
Traditionally dominant in the sport, South Korea took gold in the mixed and women’s team events at Tokyo 2020, the latter for the ninth Games in a row to equal the overall Olympic record.
An’s women’s squad team mate, Kang Chae-young, was unexpectedly knocked out on Friday at the quarter final stage.
“I thought I shot good, but not many arrows hit 10s,” a tearful Kang, seeded three, said after falling to Osipova, the 22nd seed.
Kang said she was aware of the criticism of An’s hair, adding that the team was ignoring it to maintain focus on their matches.
Among the six South Korean archers who entered the individual event only two, An and Kim Woo-jin from the men’s team, remain in contention.
(Reporting by Ju-min Park; editing by John Stonestreet)
