Charting Sharpshooter Kim Ye-ji’s Ascent To Olympic Superstardom

Every four years, the Summer Olympics tend to produce at least a handful of enormously talented athletes who become, at least for a while, household names around the world.

This year, one such story involves a pistol shooter from South Korea.

Hitting the target

For starters, shooting isn’t exactly on the same level as gymnastics or swimming when it comes to popularity. So for 31-year-old Kim Ye-ji to make a splash beyond a core group of diehard spectators is in itself a testament to her skills and charisma.

But what really set her apart from the rest of the crowd is her appearance. She shows up to compete with a unique pair of glasses and fires each bullseye shot as if it's the simplest task in the world.

Her confident and calm demeanor has made her the subject of countless social media posts, and her comments thus far in the games only reinforce the narrative that her performance has fueled.

Competitor and mentor

None other than billionaire Elon Musk opined that it would be “cool” to see her star in her own action flick.

But if her rivals are hoping that all the attention will throw her off the game, they should probably spend their time practicing instead.

“I don’t feel any pressure at all,” she said prior to the Olympics and just after she broke a women’s world record in the 25-meter pistol event.

By that time, she was already attracting attention, but said her confidence was “based on a foundation” and not subject to outside influences.

And she’s taking the next generation of shooters under her wing, as evidenced by 19-year-old Oh Ye-jin’s gold medal win.

“She is like my youngest sibling, and I always want to care for her and always be there for her,” she said.

Chris Agee August 1st, 2024

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