Yang Ji In, who won the gold medal in the 25m pistol event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has been named the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Athlete of the Year.
The ISSF announced on Tuesday on its website that Liu Yukun (China) and Yang Ji In were recognized as the Male and Female Athletes of the Year, respectively.
The Athlete of the Year is determined through votes cast by various ISSF committees, coaches, and journalists.
This achievement marks the first time in a decade that a South Korean athlete has received this honor, following the successes of Kim Jang Mi, the women’s pistol gold medalist at the 2012 London Olympics, and Jin Jong Oh, who won gold in 2008 and 2014.
Yang was acknowledged as the standout performer among six nominees, including her teammate Kim Ye Ji.
In the 25m pistol event finals at the Paris Olympics, Yang dramatically hit the gold target after a shoot-off against Camille Jedrzejewski (France).
Establishing herself as a leading figure in pistol shooting, she also won a gold medal at the first series of the World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan. She secured two titles at the Asian Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Throughout the year, Yang showcased her skills by reaching the finals in four out of five World Cups.
Meanwhile, Liu Yukun, recognized as the top male athlete, secured a gold medal in the men’s 50m rifle three positions event at the Paris Olympics.
