KIM Junghwan

Personal Information

Family Wife Byun Jung-Eun, son Kim Roy [2022]

Occupation Athlete

Languages Korean

License number 02091983000

Club

Upcoming Events

Sport Specific Information

When and where did you begin this sport? He began fencing in 1996 when he was a junior high school student.

Why this sport? He was encouraged by one of his friends. His physical education teacher also invited him to take up fencing because he had long arms. He thought that sabre would fit his aggressive characteristics. "Sabre was my destiny."

Club / Team Korea Sports Promotion Foundation: Republic of Korea

Name of coach Won Woo-Young [national], KOR

Handedness Right

International Debut

Year 2005

Competing for Republic of Korea

Tournament World Cup

Location Seoul, KOR

General Interest

Nicknames Flaming Fencer, Fencing Gentleman, Inspector Gadget [after the cartoon character because of his long arms]. (in.naver.com, 14 Mar 2022; mk.co.kr, 22 Apr 2021; sports.chosun.com, 04 Sep 2020)

Most influential person in career His father. (blog.naver.com, 18 Jul 2022)

Hero / Idol Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. (hankyung.com, 15 Oct 2014)

Injuries A back problem forced him to withdraw from the individual event at the 2022 World Championships in Cairo, Egypt. (blog.naver.com, 01 Aug 2022, 18 Jul 2022)

He injured his thigh at the 2015 World Cup event in Seoul, Republic of Korea. (chosun.com, 29 Mar 2015)

He sustained a finger injury at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, Republic of Korea. (hankyung.com, 15 Oct 2014)

He injured his ankle one month before the 2012 Olympic Games in London. (kookje.co.kr, 04 Aug 2012)

Superstitions / Rituals / Beliefs He has three superstitions on competition day. He wears blue underwear, positions his sword towards his opponent, and has a ritual with his water bottle lids. (heraldpop.com, 15 Sep 2021)

Sporting philosophy / motto "It's not a sword fight, it's a foot fight." (mk.co.kr, 22 Apr 2021)

Awards and honours In 2022 he was presented with the Best Athlete Award in the competition category at the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee Sports Awards. (spotvnews.co.kr, 02 Mar 2022)

In 2018 and 2021 he was named Male Fencer of the Year by the Korean Fencing Federation. (joongboo.com, 16 Mar 2022; jndn.com, 20 Dec 2018)

In 2016 he was presented with the Order of Sports Merit Cheongnyong [Blue Dragon] Medal by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea. (sports.chosun.com, 14 Oct 2016)

Milestones His bronze medal in individual sabre at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro made him the first male fencer representing the Republic of Korea to win an Olympic medal in individual sabre. He also became the first male Korean fencer to have won more than one Olympic medal in any fencing discipline or event, having previously won gold in team sabre at the 2012 Games in London. (SportsDeskOnline, 06 May 2021; imnews.imbc.com, 17 Aug 2016)

His gold in team sabre at the 2012 Olympic Games in London saw him become a member of the first Korean men's team, along with Gu Bon-Gil, Oh Eun-Seok and Won Woo-Young, to win an Olympic medal in fencing. (SportsDeskOnline, 10 May 2021)

Ambitions To compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (wkorea.com, 21 Sep 2021)

Other information RETURN FROM RETIREMENT
He announced his retirement from the national team after the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia, and began working as a coach for the Korean Sports Promotion Foundation. However, he decided to return to international competition the following year. "I thought that I accomplished everything as a fencer after the 2018 Asian Games. However, I was then haunted by feelings of emptiness. Therefore, I decided to return to competition while I was still able to show my abilities for at least one more year. Although the 2020 Olympics was my ultimate goal, due to the postponement, there will then only be one year to go until the 2022 Asian Games. If I can get a result in Hangzhou, why not aim for the 2024 Olympic Games? My wife told me she has already finished packing to go to Paris." (wkorea.com, 21 Sep 2021; mk.co.kr, 22 Apr 2021; mdonga.com, 15 Apr 2020; yna.co.kr, 29 Apr 2019)

SANCTION
He was suspended from all competitions for one year after he tested positive for the banned substance hydrochlorothiazide at the 2005 World Cup event in Seoul, Republic of Korea. He argued unsuccessfully that the positive test was a result of sleeping pills he had taken to treat insomnia. "I was going to quit the sport, and travel to other countries. But my father, who passed away in 2009, kept persuading me to carry on." (Central European Journal of Sport Sciences and Medicine Vol.13 No.1, 2016, 07 Jun 2017; joins.com, 04 Aug 2012; donga.com, 25 May 2007)