Seo Mingi eases into pole position at Rhine-Ruhr University Games

Seo Mingi delivered a dominant performance in recurve men’s qualification at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games on Tuesday – repeating his strong showing from Chengdu two years ago.

The 23-year-old dropped a 683 at the Sportpark Am Hallo Stadion in Essen, just six points shy of his personal best (689), to lead the 86-strong field. Fellow Korean Kim Seonwoo was a distant second with 669, leaving a remarkable 14-point gap between the top two seeds.

It’s a familiar story for Seo, who graduated recently from Keimyung University with a degree in physical education and sport. He also seeded first at the previous edition of the event with a 683 – and went on to win individual gold, his only international title so far.

Coincidentally, he also shot 683 during qualifications at Chengdu, where the gap to the second seed was seven points – already a sizeable margin.

That Seo was able to double the gap over second place on Tuesday – despite blustery conditions similar to those at the concurrent European Grand Prix in Arnhem, where even World Cup medallists like Trenton Cowles and Tang Chih-Chun struggled – was a clear reminder that Korea’s seamless conveyor belt of recurve talent never seems to slow.

Seo has been an understudy to Paris 2024 Olympic gold medallists Kim Woojin, Lee Woo Seok and Kim Je Deok throughout this year’s Hyundai Archery World Cup. But he did outshoot the latter in qualifying at both Shanghai and Antalya – the second and third stages of the circuit.

While Korea’s Olympic trio are slated for the Gwangju 2025 Hyundai World Archery Championships, Seo is now in pole position to defend his University Games title.

All-time great Kim Woojin never won University Games gold – his best result was silver at Shenzhen 2011. If Seo defends his title in Germany, it could be an omen of things to come.

In the compound women’s event, 2023 Asian Champion Parneet Kaur matched the University Games record of 701 points to take the top seed. The Indian archer will now look to claim her first individual gold medal outside Asia.

Competition at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games continues with eliminations on Wednesday.

Finals will take place on Friday and Saturday, and will be streamed live on archery+.