South Korean sharpshooter Kim Yeji took the silver medal in the women's 10-meter air pistol on Sunday—but a lot of people on social media think she deserves a gold medal for coolness. The 31-year-old was praised for her "aura" and "main character energy" this week after a video of her breaking the world record at a 25-meter air pistol event in May went viral, Time reports. In the clip, Kim, wearing a backward-facing black cap and futuristic-looking shooting glasses, fires off a shot and reacts with total nonchalance as screens show that she has set a new record, reports the Guardian.
Kim was also hailed as "the coolest person ever" after Sunday's performance, with people complimenting her "unflinching expression," as well as her "black Fila jacket, Sauer shooting shoes and the stuffed toy elephant that hung from her pocket," per CNN. The elephant is believed to be a gift from her 5-year-old daughter. GQ called her the "first breakout style star" of the Paris Olympics, describing her look as "ultra-contemporary, sportswear-wearing sci-fi assassin."
This is Kim's first Olympics. On Sunday, she broke the Olympic record for women's 10-meter air pistol, as did fellow South Korean Oh Ye Jin, who won gold. "She is like my youngest sibling, and I always want to care for her and always be there for her," Kim said of the 19-year-old. "So, when she won the gold medal, I was extra happy." "I do not view her as my rival. This is a big stage, the Olympics, and we won the gold and silver," she told the AP. Kim still has a chance to win a gold of her own. Her next event is the qualifying round of the 25-meter pistol event on Friday. (More 2024 Paris Olympics stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
