MANILA – Expect the Filipino archers to shine on the international stage with the help of champion coach Ryu Su Jeng.
Ryu, who coached South Korea to two golds at the Rio Olympics (2016) and three golds in Tokyo (2021), is training the Philippine team for the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand next month.
If plans push through, she may even stay on to prepare the Filipino athletes for the 2026 Asian Games, 2027 World Youth Archery Championships, and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“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,” said the 58-year-old Ryu, who was accompanied by World Archery Philippines president Bing Reaport in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on Tuesday.
The Filipino archers have been training for seven days under Ryu for the past week.
“Hopefully, we have good results in the SEA Games. Then a lot of things will happen in 2026. It will be better next year,” he 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.”
“The morale is really high. She already has a game plan for the SEA Games. Very strategic ang plans (The plans are very strategic) and she is happy with the progress,” said Reaport, who is looking at possibly a 24-month contract with Ryu, who may be bringing along another Korean coach.
Philippine Sports Commission chairperson Patrick Gregorio said they are doing what needs to be done.
“If we want to be the best, get the best. Coach Ryu is a gift to archery in the Philippines. We are lucky that she has chosen our country, where she will give back to the sport after achieving all of her success,” Gregorio said. (PNA)
