South Korean pistol shooter Kim Ye-ji, who gained global fame for her confidence and style during the Paris 2024 Olympics, was taken to a hospital after fainting during a press conference, officials said on Friday.
The 31-year-old won silver in the women’s 10-metre air pistol event in Paris last week, and her ultra-calm demeanour, combined with her wire-rimmed shooting glasses and baseball cap, made her a worldwide online sensation -- drawing praise from celebrities such as X owner Elon Musk.
The star shooter suddenly collapsed while speaking to reporters in a southern town on Friday and was sent to hospital, local officials said.
A spokesman for Imsil County told AFP that Kim had “recovered” after the incident and has since been transferred to a general hospital in Jeonju, approximately 29 kilometres (18 miles) north of Imsil.
“We have been informed by emergency aid workers that she does not require serious treatment,” the spokesman said.
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Another official said she would undergo a medical check up.
Her coach, Kwak Min-su, told local reporters that Kim had no underlying health issues and had been dealing with “accumulated fatigue” along with a very hectic schedule since mid-July.
Since her silver-medal win, a short clip showing Kim -- which shows her at the Baku World Cup in May, not Paris -- has gone viral, spawning fan art as well as multiple edits setting the clip to K-pop music, and endless memes, including some discussing her unique “aura”.
Despite being a strong favourite for gold in the 25-metre event, an error during the qualifying round -- failing to take her shot within the required three-second window and scoring zero -- prevented her from advancing to the finals.
She has since apologised for making a “big mistake” and “disappointing” her fans.
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