[Sportsandrec] Legally blind South Korean archer

[Roger Acuna]

Story Would be more impressive if he were completely blind.  Just saying! 
In my opinion makes a huge difference!
PS I don't have a "blind dog" either. I call her a guidedog. And I am 
thankful that hse is not blind!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <jody at thewhitehats.com>
To: "'Sports and Recreation for the Blind Discussion List'" 
<sportsandrec at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, August 06, 2012 7:13 AM
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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