[Sportsandrec] Legally blind South Korean archer

Mon Aug 6 17:34:07 UTC 2012

Hmmm?
This guy is lucky, and I'm glad that he can win in the Olympics.  I'm 
guessing that he is not an independent traveler, and probably is not 
safe walking to local stores, post office, etc. in day light.  At 
night, he is probably even less independent.
Fred

>Isn't this the saddest friggen thing you ever heard? a high partial 
>needing to get so close, the his target  he can actually tongue kiss 
>his target?
>I would hate to imagine how close a real blind person would need to 
>get, in order to even hit the side of a barn!  I dunno about you but 
>my heart is bleeding!
>  08:27 AM 8/6/2012, Sean Whalen wrote:
>>Poor bastards with their sticks and blind dogs. If he's 20/100 in the better
>>eye, is he even legally blind anyway?
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: sportsandrec-bounces at nfbnet.org
>>[mailto:sportsandrec-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of jody at thewhitehats.com
>>Sent: Monday, August 06, 2012 10:14 AM
>>To: 'Sports and Recreation for the Blind Discussion List'
>>Subject: [Sportsandrec] Legally blind South Korean archer
>>
>>Forwarding:
>>
>>Legally blind South Korean archer Im Dong-Hyun eyes gold medal at the Games
>>
>>Friday, July 27, 2012 8:37 AM
>>
>>London 2012 Olympics: legally blind South Korean archer Im Dong-Hyun eyes
>>gold medal at the Games
>>
>>
>>
>>He may not be able to read a newspaper at arms-length, being legally blind,
>>but South Korean Im Dong-Hyun is one of the favourites in the individual
>>archery gold medal at the London Games.
>>
>>
>>
>>REUTERS
>>
>>
>>
>>By Oliver Pickup
>>
>>10:22AM BST 26 Jul 2012
>>
>>
>>
>>The 26 year-old, who hails from Chungbuk, already has two Olympic gold
>>medals to his name, having won the team event in Athens - aged only 18 - and
>>Beijing four years ago.
>>
>>
>>
>>It is a staggering feat when one considers that he has 20/200 vision in his
>>left eye, meaning he needs to be 10 times closer to see an object than
>>someone with perfect 20/20 vision.
>>
>>
>>
>>His right eye, meanwhile, is not much better - he has 20/100 vision in that
>>one - and yet he has no problem in hitting a 122cm target from 70 metres.
>>
>>
>>
>>His emergence as one of the best archers in the world is remarkable,
>>considering his distinct disadvantage - though Im is prickly when people
>>take pity on him.
>>
>>
>>
>>"I don't have a stick, I don't have a blind dog," he said after a practice
>>session at Lord's, where the archery competition will take place, on
>>Wednesday. "It's unpleasant when people say I'm disabled. All this interest
>>in my sight is not welcome."
>>
>>
>>
>>In addition to his Olympic medals he has a cabinet packed with other
>>trophies, including four world titles and another four Asian Games golds.
>>
>>
>>
>>Im says firing his pointed arrows at the board is much like an archer trying
>>to pinpoint the fruit in a still life painting in which the colours have run
>>after being left out in the rain.
>>
>>
>>
>>"With my vision, when I look at the target, it looks as if different colour
>>paints have been dropped in water," he continued.
>>
>>
>>
>>"The boundaries are not that clear and the lines between the colours are
>>very blurred."
>>
>>
>>
>>The archer has dismissed the notion of wearing glasses or undergoing eye
>>surgery, and instead prefers to rely on "feel" and his ability to pick out
>>the bright colours.
>>
>>
>>
>>"I've practised using glasses before but actually it makes me feel less
>>comfortable when I shoot," he said.
>>
>>
>>
>>"When I look down the range at the target all I can do is try to distinguish
>>between the different colours. If I couldn't see the colours, now that would
>>be a problem."
>>
>>
>>
>>One colour he does not have trouble picking out is gold, and he added: "This
>>is my third attempt at getting the individual medal and if I'm lucky I'll do
>>it."
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Blind South Korean sets world marks
>>
>>July 27, 2012, 7:04 AM ET
>>
>>Associated Press
>>
>>
>>
>>LONDON -- A legally blind archer has helped South Korea set the first world
>>records of the Olympics.
>>
>>
>>
>>Im Dong-hyun broke the 72-arrow mark with 699 points in men's archery.
>>
>>
>>
>>He also took part in the team shoot Friday, teaming with Kim Bub-min and Oh
>>Jin-hyek. They broke the world record, scoring 2,087 points with 216 arrows.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Barbara
>>
>>
>>
>>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>>
>>
>>
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