Olympics-Archery-South Korea An pushes back hairstyle criticism to reach final

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TOKYO, July 30 (Reuters) – A San flew South Korea’s Olympic flag in women’s archery on Friday, fending off online criticism of her hairstyle to reach the final of what has been an individual competition rather disappointing for his country.

Seeded An defeated American Mackenzie Brown – herself subject to criticism on social media for choosing to compete without a COVID-19 vaccination – in a tight semi-final that ended in a play-off .

An, already a two-time Tokyo 2020 gold medalist, has become a target of hostility online at home after cutting her hair short, a look described as feminist by some social media users.

This term has become associated with a rise in misogynistic sentiment among young South Korean 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 gold medals in a single edition of the Games.

Traditionally dominant in the sport, South Korea won gold in the mixed and women’s team events at Tokyo 2020, the latter for the ninth consecutive Games tying the overall Olympic record.

Ans’ women’s teammate Kang Chae-young was unexpectedly eliminated in the quarter-finals on Friday.

I thought I shot well, but few arrows hit the 10s, a tearful three-seeded Kang said after falling to 22nd-seeded Osipova.

Kang said she was aware of Ans’s hair criticism, adding that the team ignored her to stay focused on their games.

Of the six South Korean archers who took part in the individual event, only two, An and Kim Woo-jin of the men’s team, remain in contention. (Reporting by Ju-min Park; editing by John Stonestreet)

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