Yang Ji-in, born in 2003, was a prominent hope for South Korean shooting at the ASIAD in Japan, holding the title of 2024 Olympic gold medalist. She ranked second globally in women's 25m pistol by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), trailing only India's Esha Singh.

The 25m pistol qualification consists of two stages: precision and rapid fire. Each stage has three series, with 10 shots per series. The precision stage has a 5-minute time limit per series, while the rapid-fire stage allows 3 seconds per shot. The top 8 athletes after both stages advance to the final. Additionally, the combined scores of three athletes from each country determine team medals.

South Korean shooter Yang Ji-in (left) wipes away tears after her error of forgetting to pull the trigger during the 25m women's pistol qualification at ASIAD 2026, held at the Aichi shooting range, Japan on 28/9/2026. *Photo: Yonhap*

On the morning of 27/9, Yang showcased her skill in the precision stage, leading with 292 points. She was one point ahead of Haniyeh Rostamiyan (Iran), Trinh Thu Vinh (Vietnam), and Kim Hyon-suk (North Korea). Entering the rapid-fire stage, Yang remained among the leaders after 20 shots. However, on her 21st shot, Yang failed to pull the trigger within the 3-second limit, resulting in a missed shot and a score of 0 points.

Her efforts on the subsequent 9 shots were not enough to recover her standing. She finished the qualification round in 17th place with 575 points, 6 points shy of the 8th position needed to advance to the final. A single hit on the target would have secured at least 7 points, enough to qualify.

Yang's mistake not only cost her an individual final spot but also caused South Korea to miss out on the women's team gold medal. With 1,735 points, South Korea secured the silver medal, 8 points behind China.

South Korean shooter Yang Ji-in breaks down in tears after her error of forgetting to pull the trigger during the 25m women's pistol qualification at ASIAD 2026, held at the Aichi shooting range, Japan on 28/9/2026. *Photo: Yonhap*

South Korean media outlets highlighted the impact of the error. The Joongang newspaper ran the headline: "South Korea wins 25m team pistol silver after star shooter's mistake", while a Korea Mail Business article stated, "A mistake caused painful consequences".

Immediately after the round, Yang burst into tears. Teammates Oh Ye-jin and Bong Seo-rin also shed tears while comforting her. Passing through the mixed zone, Yang, still visibly distressed, said, "I am truly sorry to my teammates who worked so hard to prepare for this competition".

In the individual final, South Korean shooter Bong Seo-rin was the first eliminated. Xiao Jiaruixuan (China) claimed the gold medal with 38 points after defeating Esha Singh in a shoot-off. Kim Hyon-suk secured the bronze, while Trinh Thu Vinh finished fourth.

China led the ASIAD 2026 shooting medal table with 16 gold, 5 silver, and 2 bronze medals. Following were Qatar (2-1-0), India (1-8-4), and South Korea (1-5-4). South Korea's only gold medal came from Choo Ga-eun in the women's 10m air pistol individual event.

By Trung Thu