Guo Dan is the biggest discovery of the Chinese team at the ongoing Asian Archery Championships in Xi'an, western China.
The 21-year-old Guo, who placed eighth in the ranking round, upset top seed Yun Ok-hee from South Korea 101-100 in the quarter-finals on her way to a silver medal finish in Monday's women's recurve competition.
"I am not satisfied with the result. I hoped to win the gold medal," Guo told reporters after the final, where she lost to South Korean Lee Sung-jin 108-105.
Lee was a member of the South Korean team that claimed the gold at the Athens Olympics in 2004. She also finished with a silver in the individual event at that Games.
"I know she is a reigning Olympic champion, but that does not mean I fear of her," Guo said. "Her past glory only made me more anxious to beat her."
"I was very determined in the final, but I still have to improve my techniques."
Trailing 90-89 into the last two shots, Guo hit two eight rings to surrender the title to Lee.
The Chinese women archers including Guo are trying their best preparing for the Beijing Olympics in order to snatch a gold from traditional archery powerhouse South Korea.
"Impossible is nothing," Guo said. "We have no fear of South Korean archers."
"The silver medal finish is a proof of my improvement in the past few months and a boost to my confidence," she added. "However, I have to make myself stronger in order to achieve good results at the Beijing Olympics next summer."
(Xinhua News Agency September 19, 2007)