South Korean archery legend Kisik Lee expected to join Indian national team after formal contract is signed
Navneet Singh
Renowned South Korean archery coach Kisik Lee has, in principle, agreed to join the Indian archery team, giving a major boost to the recurve team preparing for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
It has been learnt that the Sports Ministry is in the final stages of drafting a contract for Lee, who resides in Los Angeles—the host city for the 2028 Olympics.
When contacted by Sportsbackstory.com, Lee acknowledged the reports of his potential association with Indian archery but said he is waiting for an official confirmation. “At this moment, I can’t say much because I’ve yet to sign an official document with the Indian government. I’m waiting for the papers,” Lee told sportsbackstory.com from his home in Los Angeles.
“My house is close to the Olympic Games venue,” he added.
Lee’s arrival could be a gamechanger for India’s Olympic archery ambitions. The country is still chasing its first Olympic archery medal, having come close at the 2024 Paris Games. The mixed team pair of Dhiraj Bommadevara and Ankita Bhakat narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth after losing the bronze medal match to the USA.
Sportsbackstory.com was the first to report that the Archery Association of India (AAI) has approached Lee for his services. After several rounds of discussions with Lee on the terms and conditions, AAI and the Sports Ministry have agreed to appoint him as recurve’s team head coach for the 2028 Olympic cycle.
A former head coach of South Korea’s Olympic archery team, Lee brings decades of elite coaching experience. He was instrumental in South Korea’s archery dominance from the 1984 Los Angeles Games through the 1996 Atlanta Games. He later coached Australian archer Simon Fairweather to individual gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Lee went on to lead the USA Olympic archery program for 18 years. During his tenure, American archers earned multiple Olympic medals and more than 300 World Cup podium finishes. His time with the USA concluded at the end of 2024.
At the Paris Olympics, the US won two medals under Lee’s guidance—Brady Ellison claimed silver in men’s individual, and, alongside Casey Kaufhold, secured bronze in the mixed team event, beating the Indian pair. Lee is widely credited with shaping Ellison into one of the sport’s all-time greats. Ellison now boasts five Olympic medals and multiple world titles.
Lee’s appointment follows the exit of former foreign coach Baek Woong Ki of South Korea, who resigned amid a controversy surrounding accreditation for the Paris Olympics.
