Ryu: God’s gift to Phl archery

Ryu Su Seng, who coached South Korea to multiple gold medals in the Olympics, is being described as “a gift to Philippine archery.”

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Patrick Gregorio has made the pronouncement as Ryu entered her second week of training with the Filipino archers.

Ryu, who coached South Korean archers to two golds in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and three golds in Tokyo in 2021, is helping the Philippine team prepare for the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

And if things fall into place, Ryu will stay on to train the Philippine team for the 2026 Asian Games, 2027 World Youth Archery Championships, and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

This early, Ryu, who chose the Philippines over similar offers from China and Mexico, is looking at winning medals for the Philippines.

“In the SEA Games, we can win the medals, also in the Asian Games, even the gold. And in the Olympics, we can get to the quarterfinals and then (in the future), a medal,” Ryu told the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Ryu’s entry to the Philippine sports scene was realized through the strong efforts of the PSC chief and World Archery Philippines (WAP) president Bing Reaport.

“Hopefully, we’ll have good results in the SEA Games. Then a lot of things will happen in 2026. It will be better next year,” Reaport said.

“We are very upbeat. The vision is to uplift archery in the country — new learnings, coaching skills, technical skills. What coach Ryu is doing right now is building the framework,” he added in the forum presented by San Miguel Corp., Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus.

“The morale is really high. She already has a game plan for the SEA Games. Very strategic ang plans and she is happy with the progress,” he added.

Reaport said they’re now looking at a longer and hopefully fruitful partnership with Ryu, possibly a 24-month contract that involves her bringing along another Korean coach.

It comes with a price, hiring a coach with five Olympic gold medals under her name, but Gregorio said they’re doing what needs to be done.