[Sportsandrec] Legally blind South Korean archer

Tue Aug 7 03:59:49 UTC 2012

You know, after thinking of this throughout today, it has occurred to 
me that, despite my being fired up after reading other messages on 
this thread we know very little about the specifics of this archer's 
journey, partial or not. Remember, regardless of what he can or 
cannot see, Everyone always has their own cross or crosses, to bare. 
He is not suffering for lack of pigeonholing by anyone  into a box 
that reads, 2100 in one eye, and 2200 in the other.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]
>>
>>
>>
>>------------------------------------
>>
>>Yahoo! Groups Links
>>
>><*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
>>    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AdultROP/
>>
>><*> Your email settings:
>>    Individual Email | Traditional
>>
>><*> To change settings online go to:
>>    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AdultROP/join
>>    (Yahoo! ID required)
>>
>><*> To change settings via email:
>>    AdultROP-digest at yahoogroups.com
>>    AdultROP-fullfeatured at yahoogroups.com
>>
>><*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
>>    AdultROP-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com
>>
>><*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
>>    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>>
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Sportsandrec mailing list
>>Sportsandrec at nfbnet.org
>>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org
>>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
>>for Sportsandrec:
>>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org/kearney125%40gmail.com
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Sportsandrec mailing list
>Sportsandrec at nfbnet.org
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org
>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
>for Sportsandrec:
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org/carlymih%40earthlink.net