By Yoo Jee-ho

JINCHEON, South Korea, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- Before she picked up competitive shooting in her second year in high school, Kwon Yuna had taken interest in journalism.

As a freshman in 2020, Kwon, who enjoyed reading and writing growing up, joined her school's journalism club and took an immediate liking to the craft. She started dreaming of a future as a reporter.

It all changed in 2021, as she found her calling in rifle shooting instead. She did not know anything about the sport until a school field trip to a shooting range, where students each took turns at firing shots. Though Kwon scored poorly, she was hooked. By 2022, Kwon was winning medals and setting records at national junior competitions.

Kwon, now 21, is set for her Asian Games debut in Japan in September in the women's 10-meter air rifle. While penning articles may no longer be in Kwon's future, she will be reading about herself in sports news stories if she reaches the podium at the Aiichi Nagoya Asian Games. She will compete in both the individual event and the team event.

"I feel I have worked extremely hard and hopefully it will all pay off," Kwon said Monday during an open training session at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, 85 kilometers south of Seoul. "I hope I end up with results that I find satisfying. The goal is to win the gold medal in the team event. If I can do my part in the team event, then the rest will follow."

Kwon said she did not stick around in journalism long enough to figure out her favorite beat but recalled that she "found everything so fun and interesting."

"I still enjoy reading news articles and writing down my thoughts," Kwon added.

Her love for shooting, however, outstripped one for journalism. Kwon grew so enthusiastic about shooting that she even transferred to a school with a shooting team in another city, away from her Seoul home.

That move has been worth it for Kwon, who set two junior national records as a high school senior in 2022 in the 50m rifle 3 positions event and won a slew of local and national titles.

At the senior level, Kwon helped South Korea finish second in the 10m air rifle team event at both the world championships and the Asian championships in 2025.

The women's 10m air rifle will be the very first medal event in shooting at this year's Asian Games, as it will take place on Sept. 20, the day after the opening ceremony. The individual qualification round will double as the team event final, where the combined scores of three shooters from each country will determine the standings.

Kwon will be teaming up with Ban Hyo-jin, who won a stunning gold in the 10m air rifle at the 2024 Paris Olympics at age 16.

Still a teenager, Ban also won the 10m air rifle individual title at the 2025 worlds, proving she was more than just a flash in the pan in Paris.

Kwon said she struck up a friendship with Ban soon after making the national team early last year and the two have become so close they even color-coordinate laces for their shooting boots. They also room together at the national training center and at international events.

"Even though I am three years older than Hyo-jin, I don't feel that age gap with her because she is so mature," Kwon said. "I have so much to learn from her. She is really professional when it comes to her mindset and her preparations.

"But when we are both in the same individual competition, then we go our separate ways," Kwon added with a smile.

jeeho@yna.co.kr

(END)

• From 'BTS Boulevard' to U.S. governor's praise: BTS sweeps N. America on 'Arirang' tour
• Gemini, BTS collaboration on display at Las Vegas Sphere
• TWICE's Jeongyeon leaves JYP to pursue acting career
• U.S. Marines stage live-fire drills involving FPV drones for 1st time in S. Korea

• Pyeongtaek city fails to reach U.S. military via hotline over reported white phosphorus leak: official

• From 'BTS Boulevard' to U.S. governor's praise: BTS sweeps N. America on 'Arirang' tour

• TWICE's Jeongyeon leaves JYP to pursue acting career
• U.S. Marines stage live-fire drills involving FPV drones for 1st time in S. Korea
• Pyeongtaek city fails to reach U.S. military via hotline over reported white phosphorus leak: official

• (LEAD) Police raid Starbucks Korea over controversial promotional event

• TWICE's Jeongyeon leaves JYP to pursue acting career

• From 'BTS Boulevard' to U.S. governor's praise: BTS sweeps N. America on 'Arirang' tour
• Seoul cautious about Ukraine's defense request amid claims more N. Korean troops being sent to Russia
• HD Hyundai Heavy wins 956 bln-won engine generator supply deal in U.S.
• (2nd LD) Gov't to enact special law this year to designate special zone for AI investment projects