Emma Kim and Gabe Anderson hope to make their Olympic dreams come true.
SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. — Bullseye is under attack at Sky Valley Archery.
Emma Kim, 18, is one of the top recurve archers in the country.
“I like the repetition of trying to perfect something every time and working on the same thing to get better,” Kim said. “I like that rhythm.”
The Seattle gunman fires 400 to 500 arrows a day.
“The only way to get better is to shoot a lot, which is quantity and quality,” Kim said.
Emma, a 2023 graduate of Jackson High School, has worked with coach Mike Wixer for over 10 years.
“Oh my god, she was such a little girl in the beginning. It's really amazing,” Wixer said. “At first they just want to learn and play, but then it was a lot of work and took several years.”
Kim continued to aim for her goals, and as her goals began to increase, so did her wins. In 2022, Kim won a bronze medal at the World Championships. In 2024, she won a silver medal at her major national event, the Arizona Cup.
“It's really nice to see the progress,” Kim said. “I've been doing the same training for years, and now I can see that what I'm working on is starting to show that it's always great.”
“Emma is not afraid of fighting. You can't be afraid in archery, and that's what she's about,” Wixer said.
Kim is currently ranked No. 4 in the country and has her sights set on Paris, but she's not wasting any time dreaming. It's all about work now.
“We're going to take it one step at a time,” Kim said. “I don't want to think too much about the Olympics. Thinking about it won't make me go any faster or slower, so I'm just trying to live in the moment.”
“People describe it as being similar to golf. I've never played competitively, but it's a similar feeling. You go out on the driving range and it's just you and the ball, or you and the ball. Just getting better at the bow every day.’ You’re doing something right,” Gabe Anderson said.
Anderson, 22, started shooting when he was 10 years old.
“At first, it's just fun to shoot arrows,” Anderson said. “It just makes you feel cool, like, 'Oh, this is amazing.'”
Twelve years later, Anderson, like Kim, is one of the best players in the country.
“A good score for me is 57,” Anderson said.
Anderson scored 57 points multiple times in 2021. He was the No. 1 ranked junior in the country.
“He's definitely developed into a player who shoots at a high level,” Wixer said.
This year, Anderson helped bring the United States a bronze medal at the Pan American Games. It was his first international medal.
“It's definitely a crazy experience to go out there with America on my back. It's probably the most national pride I've ever had. I'm representing America,” Anderson said. Ta.
And now Anderson wants to spread that patriotic pride to Paris.
“I didn't really have Olympic dreams when I was a kid,” Anderson said. “As I've been working here, it's starting to bother me. I just finished in the top eight. That would be unreal.”
Kim and Anderson will head to Florida to compete in the Gator Cup, which begins Friday. Both are looking to earn more points to secure a spot on the U.S. team.
The most powerful archery team is the Korean women's team. In the women's team event, they are aiming for a gold medal for the 10th consecutive year.