Kim Jong-Il (athlete)
Encyclopedia
Kim Jong-Il born 11 September 1962, is a retired South Korea
n long jump
er, best known for winning two gold medals at the Asian Games
. He also competed in the Olympics twice, and was the first Korean track and field athlete to have made a final round at the Olympics. His personal best jump was 8.00 metres, achieved in August 1988 in Seoul
. After retiring as an active athlete, he turned to a career in coaching and academics.
. He became a member of the national track and field team in 1979, and first made his mark internationally by winning the gold medal in long jump at the 1982 Asian Games
in New Delhi
. His jump of 7.94 metres was the second best Asian Games result of all times, only behind T.C. Yohannan's winning jump of 8.07 metres in 1974
. Kim beat second-placed Liu Yuhuang
with a slim margin of five centimetres, and third-placed Junichi Usui
with seven centimetres.
Two years later, Kim participated in the Olympic Games
in Los Angeles
. Entering the qualifying round at the long jump competition
, where one would need to finish among the top twelve or achieve at least 7.90 metres to reach the final, Kim began his competition with a non-valid jump. His second jump measured 7.67 metres, in a head wind of 2.5 m/s, which was not enough to progress. However, with his final qualifying jump measuring 7.87 metres, he finished ninth in total, thus making it to the finals—together with fellow Asians Junichi Usui (8.02 m) and Liu Yuhuang (7.83 m). In the final round, Kim opened with jumps of 7.76 and 7.81 metres. The latter jump ranked him in eighth place, the threshold necessary to get a further three jumps after the first three. Failing to capitalize on this opportunity, with two jumps of 7.77 and 7.59 as well as two fouls he remained in eighth place. Nonetheless, he was the first Korean track and field athlete to have made a final round at the Olympics.
In January 1985, Kim competed at the inaugural World Indoor Games
in Paris. Here, he finished in eleventh place with 7.31 metres. Only four days earlier he had jumped 7.84 metres in a meet in Osaka
. In 1986, Kim would try to defend his gold medal in the 1986 Asian Games
, which was this time staged in Seoul
in his home country. Kim again jumped 7.94 metres, which was enough to win the gold medal, two centimetres ahead of Junichi Usui and fourteen ahead of Chen Zunrong
. Kim also entered as a part of the South Korean 4 x 100 metres relay
team, and eventually won a bronze medal. In 1986 to 1987 he had lived in the United States to train with the Houston Cougars
under the University of Houston
.
In August 1988, Kim achieved his lifetime best result, jumping 8.00 metres in a pre-Olympic meet in Seoul. The Olympic Games
were staged in the same city the next month. Kim once again entered in the long jump competition
. His series of 7.36, 7.68 and 7.70 metres placed him sixteenth in total, thus he failed to reach the final round this time. The last qualifier for the final was 7.77 metres; the only Asian athlete who reached the final round was Chinese Pang Yan. Among those who failed to reach the final were Chen Zunrong, Junichi Usui (with three fouls) as well as two Canadians who would become 1996 Olympic
champions in the relay: Bruny Surin
and Glenroy Gilbert
.
Kim then participated without success at the 1989 World Indoor Championships
. His last major international competition was the 1990 Asian Games
in Beijing
. Here, he placed fourth in the long jump.
in 1986. Having later relocated to the United States, he took the master's degree at the Washington State University
in 1993. He remained there to complete his doctor's thesis in 1996. In the 1997-98 academic year, Kim was employed at the Calvin College
, where he doubled as professor in the Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Dance and Sport department as well as head coach of the men's track and field team. In 2002 he also took over the post as head coach for the women's team. Writes Calvin College, Kim's "coaching philosophy centers on educating and preparing Calvin's track and field student-athletes for Christian service and leadership throughout God's world". As of the 2010-2011 academic year he is an assistant coach in the women's soccer program.
His honors as a coach include the selection as NCAA Division III National Women's Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2003. In 2003 he was also named Men's Coach of the Year; he was the first coach to win both awards in the same year.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
er, best known for winning two gold medals at the Asian Games
Asian Games
The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...
. He also competed in the Olympics twice, and was the first Korean track and field athlete to have made a final round at the Olympics. His personal best jump was 8.00 metres, achieved in August 1988 in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. After retiring as an active athlete, he turned to a career in coaching and academics.
Athletics career
Kim Jong-Il was born on 11 September 1962, and is a native of JincheonJincheon
Jincheon County is a county in Chungcheongbuk-do Province, South Korea.-Location:Jincheon belongs to the middle of Chungcheongbuk-do. It borders several cities of its province but also meets Gyeonggi-do...
. He became a member of the national track and field team in 1979, and first made his mark internationally by winning the gold medal in long jump at the 1982 Asian Games
Athletics at the 1982 Asian Games
-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics...
in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
. His jump of 7.94 metres was the second best Asian Games result of all times, only behind T.C. Yohannan's winning jump of 8.07 metres in 1974
Athletics at the 1974 Asian Games
The 1974 Asian Games were held in Azadi Stadium, Tehran, Iran. This was the first time that China had competed in these games, it was also the last time that Israel competed.-Medal table:-Men:-Women:-External links:* - GBR Athletics...
. Kim beat second-placed Liu Yuhuang
Liu Yuhuang
Liu Yuhuang is a retired Chinese long jumper, best known for finishing 1st at the 1984 Olympic Games.-Achievements:-References:...
with a slim margin of five centimetres, and third-placed Junichi Usui
Junichi Usui
is a retired Japanese long jumper, best known for finishing seventh at the 1984 Olympic Games.-Achievements:-External links:...
with seven centimetres.
Two years later, Kim participated in the Olympic Games
Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics
At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, 41 events in athletics were contested, 24 events by men and 17 by women. There were a total number of 1273 participating athletes from 124 countries.-Men's events:-Women's events:...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Entering the qualifying round at the long jump competition
Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics - Men's Long Jump
These are the official results of the Men's Long Jump event at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. There were a total number of 31 participating athletes, with two qualifying groups, and the final held on August 6, 1984.-Medalists:...
, where one would need to finish among the top twelve or achieve at least 7.90 metres to reach the final, Kim began his competition with a non-valid jump. His second jump measured 7.67 metres, in a head wind of 2.5 m/s, which was not enough to progress. However, with his final qualifying jump measuring 7.87 metres, he finished ninth in total, thus making it to the finals—together with fellow Asians Junichi Usui (8.02 m) and Liu Yuhuang (7.83 m). In the final round, Kim opened with jumps of 7.76 and 7.81 metres. The latter jump ranked him in eighth place, the threshold necessary to get a further three jumps after the first three. Failing to capitalize on this opportunity, with two jumps of 7.77 and 7.59 as well as two fouls he remained in eighth place. Nonetheless, he was the first Korean track and field athlete to have made a final round at the Olympics.
In January 1985, Kim competed at the inaugural World Indoor Games
1985 IAAF World Indoor Games
The World Indoor Games were arranged by the IAAF and held at the Palais Omnisports Paris-Bercy in Paris, France from January 18 to January 19, 1985. In 1987 the championship was renamed to the World Indoor Championships. There were a total number of 319 participating athletes from 69...
in Paris. Here, he finished in eleventh place with 7.31 metres. Only four days earlier he had jumped 7.84 metres in a meet in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
. In 1986, Kim would try to defend his gold medal in the 1986 Asian Games
Athletics at the 1986 Asian Games
-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics...
, which was this time staged in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
in his home country. Kim again jumped 7.94 metres, which was enough to win the gold medal, two centimetres ahead of Junichi Usui and fourteen ahead of Chen Zunrong
Chen Zunrong
Chen Zunrong is a retired Chinese long jumper, best known for finishing tenth at the 1992 Olympic Games. His personal best is 8.36 metres, achieved in May 1992 in Shizuoka.-Achievements:-References:...
. Kim also entered as a part of the South Korean 4 x 100 metres relay
4 x 100 metres relay
The 4 × 100 metres relay or sprint relay is an athletics track event run in lanes over one lap of the track with four runners completing 100 metres each. The first runners begin in the same stagger as for the individual 400 m race...
team, and eventually won a bronze medal. In 1986 to 1987 he had lived in the United States to train with the Houston Cougars
Houston Cougars
Houston Cougars is the name given to the sports teams of the University of Houston. Informally, the Houston Cougars have also been referred to as the Coogs, UH, or simply Houston. Houston's nickname was created by early physical education instructor of the university and former head football...
under the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
.
In August 1988, Kim achieved his lifetime best result, jumping 8.00 metres in a pre-Olympic meet in Seoul. The Olympic Games
Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics
At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul a total number of 42 events in athletics were contested: 24 by men and 18 by women. There were a total number of 1617 participating athletes from 149 countries.-Men's events:...
were staged in the same city the next month. Kim once again entered in the long jump competition
Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Men's long jump
The Men's Long Jump at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea had an entrylist of 38 competitors, with two qualifying groups before the final took place on Sunday September 25, 1988.-Medalists:-Abbreviations:...
. His series of 7.36, 7.68 and 7.70 metres placed him sixteenth in total, thus he failed to reach the final round this time. The last qualifier for the final was 7.77 metres; the only Asian athlete who reached the final round was Chinese Pang Yan. Among those who failed to reach the final were Chen Zunrong, Junichi Usui (with three fouls) as well as two Canadians who would become 1996 Olympic
Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics
At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, 44 events in athletics were contested, 24 by men and 20 by women. There were a total number of 2053 participating athletes from 191 countries.-Men:...
champions in the relay: Bruny Surin
Bruny Surin
Bruny Surin is a Canadian athlete, winner of a gold medal in the 4x100 m relay at the 1996 Summer Olympics. In 2008 he was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame as part of the 1996 Summer Olympics 4x100 relay team.-Career:...
and Glenroy Gilbert
Glenroy Gilbert
Glenroy John Gilbert is a Canadian former athlete, winner of gold medal in 4x100 m relay at the 1996 Summer Olympics....
.
Kim then participated without success at the 1989 World Indoor Championships
1989 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 2nd IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held at the Budapest Sportcsarnok in Budapest, Hungary from March 3 to March 5, 1989. There were a total number of 373 participating athletes from 62 countries.-Men:1985 | 1987 | 1989 | 1991 | 1993...
. His last major international competition was the 1990 Asian Games
Athletics at the 1990 Asian Games
-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. Here, he placed fourth in the long jump.
Coaching and academic career
Kim took an undergraduate degree in physical education at Dong-A UniversityDong-A University
Dong-A University is a major private university in Korea. The university's campuses are based in Greater Busan, the second-largest city in South Korea. About 19,000 students are enrolled...
in 1986. Having later relocated to the United States, he took the master's degree at the Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
in 1993. He remained there to complete his doctor's thesis in 1996. In the 1997-98 academic year, Kim was employed at the Calvin College
Calvin College
Calvin College is a comprehensive liberal arts college located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1876, Calvin College is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reformed tradition of Protestantism...
, where he doubled as professor in the Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Dance and Sport department as well as head coach of the men's track and field team. In 2002 he also took over the post as head coach for the women's team. Writes Calvin College, Kim's "coaching philosophy centers on educating and preparing Calvin's track and field student-athletes for Christian service and leadership throughout God's world". As of the 2010-2011 academic year he is an assistant coach in the women's soccer program.
His honors as a coach include the selection as NCAA Division III National Women's Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2003. In 2003 he was also named Men's Coach of the Year; he was the first coach to win both awards in the same year.