Forget the actual sporting contest, the world has found a winner in the style stakes with this shooting athlete. Yes, we’re talking about Kim Yeji, South Korea’s shooting star – in both senses of the phrase. Securing a silver medal in her Olympic debut (in the women’s 10-metre air pistol event), it has been the athlete’s fashion choices, as well as her clean shot, that has impressed viewers across the globe. The Olympic shooter has turned heads (away from the opening ceremony, that’s for certain) with her futuristic glasses and ice-cold glare, cementing her as the coolest person at the Games.
Looking as ‘badass’ as can be, the athlete donned a bespoke pair of shooting glasses with a white baseball cap – even carrying her daughter’s stuffed toy elephant in her non-shooting hand. Dressed in contemporary sportswear, the athlete gave a whole new meaning to sports chic, with us placing bets on many trying out this trend as the latest athleisurewear. The white baseball cap was a perfect addition on top of her low ponytail, while the black Fila anorak, embroidered with her native South Korean flag, was zipped right up to the neck and paired with black tracksuit bottoms and red-laced shoes. Her silver wire-rimmed shooting glasses featured flippable hinged lenses, matching the silver rings on her hands and she wore neat piercings stacked in her ear. Despite serving cold style that has sent the internet into a frenzy, even Kim needed a little help staying cool during Saturday’s competition, seeking assistance from her portable fan. (See, guys, she’s just. like. us.).
According to Peter Bevan, a London-based fashion stylist, ‘there are lots of sportspeople known or their style – see Michael Jordan, Leah Williamson, Hector Bellerin, et al – but, it’s rare for the sports kit itself to be the ‘fit with which we’re obsessed. ‘From the sci-fi-coded pistol and glasses, to the monochrome Fila two-piece, as well as the silver rings and elephant keyring, Yeji’s outfit is cyberpunk heroine meets underground club kid, all with a personal touch. ‘Even the way she wears her ponytail through her baseball cap is cool. All in all, it’s a very good outfit, which I’m sure will secure her a fashion campaign or two, once the Games are over.’
Now, previous footage of Kim has emerged, also highlighting the shooter’s style – this time, showing her gold-winning appearance at the International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup held in Baku, Azerbaijan in May. At this competition, Kim also rocked her custom Fila anorak, while switching the cap to a black one, with her hair down, as she set a new world record in the women’s 25-metre pistol event. Unfortunately at Paris, Kim was beaten by Oh Ye Jin, her Republic of Korea teammate, who won gold in the air pistol vent – and while the 19-year-old also rocked some serious style, with a rose-pink air pistol with a heart-shaped decal and aviator-shaped shooting lenses as well as her own square dark-rimmed eyeglasses – Kim seems to have topped the competition when it comes to fashion.
