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Meet Kim Yeji: Viral Paris Olympic silver medalist sharpshooter who 'mothered' while breaking world record
From sci-fi shooter glasses to reserved reaction after setting a new world record, South Korean sharpshooter Kim Yeji really stole the show a few months before winning an Olympic medal.
Every four years, the Olympics event gives birth to a few stars and some of them show the best why they deserve the spotlight. Kim Yeji is one of them. The South Korean markswoman not only shattered a five-year-old record back in May but also stunned the world with her calm and reserved reaction to it.
Kim Ye Ji’s career stats as a skilled markswoman
As the clips from her previous performance went viral online, fans erupted in praise for her ‘main character’ energy. Even Elon Musk didn’t shy away from lauding her potential to be an action film star. Mom to a five-year-old daughter, this star sharpshooter grabbed the spotlight with her performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Let’s have a close look at her career graph before the outstanding silver medal win at the ongoing summer Olympics.
Kim Ye Ji's impressive past wins
Born in 1992, the 31-year-old pistol shooter Kim Ye Ji started practicing shooting in 2005 and kicked off her first competition the following year, according to the International Shooting Sport Federation.
Her first big win dates back to 2010, when she bagged a bronze in the 10m air pistol women's junior category. With an astounding total score of 380, she closely followed the gold and silver winners, who respectively scored 382 and 381. With this outstanding win, Kim Ye Ji paved the way for her bright future.
The International Shooting Sport Federation mentions her second medal win in January 2024 at the Asian Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia, where world-class shooters assembled for the coveted Olympic quotas leading up to Paris 2024. She took home a silver medal from the Olympic qualifier with a total score of 32 in the 25m pistol women's category.
Kim Ye Ji's rise as current record holder in 25m Pistol Women
Kim Ye Ji's next medal arrived at the 2024 ISSF World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan, held from May 1 to 12. The star markswoman bagged her first gold medal in the 25m pistol, with a record-breaking score of 42, beating fellow Korean Yang Jiin.
This competition was part of the continuation of Olympic quota spots leading up to Paris 2024. With her win, the sharpshooter came one step closer to attending the biggest sports event. At this event, she also finished the 10m air pistol women's competition, bagging a silver medal with a remarkable score of 241.
Her next big stage was the 2024 ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany, held from May 31 to June 8. She won the bronze in the 25m pistol category, ending her performance with a final score of 35 and qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Kim Yeji’s breathtaking silver medal win at Paris 2024
Kim Ye Ji's outstanding career graph led up to the moment of her first Olympic attendance. At the age of 31, the breakout star sharpshooter not only took home a silver medal but also set an unprecedented standard of success with her journey up to this point.
Over the last weekend, the first-time Olympian Kim Ye Ji took over the range with her cool style and reserved demeanor. At the Olympic Shooting Center of Châteauroux, the markswoman flaunted her ultra-contemporary fit and slick shooter glasses, making her look like a sci-fi assassin.
The next thing that caught the anticipating audience’s eyes was her waistband. Dangling from it was an adorable elephant-shaped stuffed animal, which is said to belong to Kim Ye Ji’s five-year-old daughter, who was probably at home waiting for her mother to win big.
In the 10m air pistol category, she managed to score 241.3, breaking the previous record of 240.3 set by Russian sharpshooter Vitalina Batsarashkina. However, her teammate Oh Ye Jin beat her with a score of 243.2, winning a gold medal and setting a new record.
Although she maintained her usual calm and cool stance during her performance, Kim Ye Ji was all smiles while sharing the podium with junior Oh Ye Jin. The star is now set to return to action for the 25m pistol category on August 2, in which she is already the world record holder.
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