Archer Jin Kang ’25 Featured in ‘Men’s Health 25’ Spotlighting Standout Gen Z Athletes

Jin Kang ’25, who last year became the top-ranked U-18 men’s recurve archer in the United States, was profiled in a recent Men’s Health feature on the 25 Gen Z athletes “redefining sports excellence.”

Kang grew up in Ridgewood, N.J., and first took up archery during the summer between the seventh and eighth grades after watching the TV series Arrow. Training at an archery academy near his home, he began taking the sport more seriously after a back injury sidelined him for a month, forcing him to train harder than usual in order to recover. By the time his back healed, he’d grown accustomed to the more intensive training and stuck with it, even while juggling his Regis schoolwork and commute to 84th Street.

“That just became the norm of how much I practiced,” he said. “My skill level just skyrocketed from there, and that's when I started to see success nationally.”

His breakthrough came in the 2022 Lancaster Archery Classic in Lancaster, Pa., where he finished in the top four in the U-18 division. Kang went on to qualify for the U-18 U.S. national team, and at the 2023 qualifiers for the Paris Olympics, he advanced from a pool of hundreds of competitors of all ages to the knockout round of 16. That same year, he was crowned the 2023 U-18 JOAD Outdoor Nationals champion.

Earlier this year, Kang was also among 14 student-athletes from the New York market honored by Positive Athlete for leading with character, resilience, and purpose.

Next year, he’ll attend Columbia University and will compete on the school’s well-regarded archery club team, before pursuing medical school and a career as a doctor.