손끝 진동까지 계산해준다…AI 코치의 ‘메달 과외’ [아하! 아시안게임]

In the June Asian Athlete Championships, a report detailed the intense analysis of the fencing match between Dong Kyung-dong and O Sang-woo. In this bout, Dong Kyung-dong failed to capitalize on O Sang-woo's attacks despite retreating backwards. The game analysis, which would typically require two professionals for an entire hour, was completed within just 10 minutes this report.

The precision and detail of the analysis astounded the athletes. O Sang-woo remarked, "Fencing involves swift movements (that the human eye can miss), but this program captures those subtle details. It could reduce the time spent on analysis during training."

Is this the work of a new coach? Not quite. It is an artificial intelligence (AI) powered power analysis software. As the Asian Games approach in 2026 (opening on July 19), countries are actively incorporating AI to enhance their athletes' performance. Fencing has utilized AI programs to assess athletes' strengths, weaknesses, and improvement areas from multiple angles.

In preparation for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the 'Artificial Intelligence Coach' plans to provide more refined insights. During this match, O Sang-woo received three suggestions to further improve his skills: perfecting his technique, enhancing his stance stability, and analyzing his wrist vibrations during shooting.

For archery, advanced AI detection systems were introduced, analyzing thousands of focused photos and videos from all angles. This enabled the detection of even minor deviations in the archer's stance and draw. The 3D analysis of shot alignment and stance estimation led to significant improvements in accuracy. Meanwhile, women's hockey integrated AI with drones to track each athlete's movement distance, spacing, and optimal positioning in real-time.

This allowed athletes to more easily adopt tactical patterns needed for counterattacks or fast breaks. Beyond these, badminton employed AI algorithms and big data to analyze opponents' trajectories, game patterns, and stroke placements, enhancing players' in-game decision-making. Swimming also incorporated AI technology, using 3D motion analysis based on starting markers to precisely measure elements like start speed, angle, and distance.

While virtual reality (VR) was used for archery teams during the 2024 Paris Olympics for special training, AI is now recognized as a critical tool rather than just an aid.