Blind archer, Im Dong Hyun, sets world record at Olympics

A. Isaac Senior Editor

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Here’s your first “wow” moment at the 2012 London Olympics. A legally blind South Korean archer named Im Dong-hyun broke his own record today ahead of the Opening Ceremony. Im’s score of 699 was three points ahead of his performance this past May in Turkey.

This is just the first round, so I will not get too excited by it,” said Im, who has 10 percent vision in his left eye and 20 percent in his right.

Apparently when Im competes, he sees “colors with blurred lines.” Pinpointing the difference between the target colors has essentially made him able to compete at such a high level. Truly amazing in every sense. We often hear stories of the Olympic spirit, and those who work so hard to achieve a once in a lifetime dream. Im Dong-Hyun is definitely one of those stories, albeit one that probably goes beyond your garden variety Olympian.

Here’s a clip we found of Im training in Korea. The level of concentration involved is simply incredible.