Kim Young-ho, Asia's First Olympic Gold Medalist and President of the Korea Middle and High School Fencing Federation
Contributes to Performance and Leadership Improvement by Securing Competition Hosting and Training Locations
The second day of the "2019 USA International Fencing Federation Competition," hosted by the USA Fencing Association and the non-profit organization "Studying Athletes Exercising Students," and organized by Asia Economy, was held on the 6th at Songdo Convensia in Yeonsu-gu, Incheon. The USA International Fencing Federation Competition (IRC) is a platform where both professional athletes and amateurs compete without distinction, marking its first event held domestically. Approximately 600 youth athletes from 13 countries, including the USA and China, participated. / Incheon ? Photo by Kim Hyunmin kimhyun81@
The status of domestic fencing has changed remarkably over the past decade. At the 2012 London and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, South Korea secured three gold medals, and at the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games, it won half of the 12 gold medals available. This giant leap of hope led to a broader base. The number of middle and high schools nurturing promising athletes has tripled. Fencing clubs, which were nonexistent until 2007, have grown to 78. The sport has experienced such rapid growth that finding coaches has become difficult.
At the center of this transformation is Kim Young-ho (50), who became the first Asian athlete to win an Olympic fencing championship at the 2000 Sydney Games. Recognizing the fleeting nature of public interest, he dedicated himself to establishing a foundation for discovering and nurturing athletes. He served as a coach for the national team at the 2004 Athens Olympics, passing on his skills, and in 2008, he founded the country’s first fencing club, producing excellent athletes and coaches.
This year, he is taking on an even bigger dream. On the 22nd, he was elected as the 13th president of the Korea Middle and High School Fencing Federation with the highest number of votes. In his victory speech, President Kim promised, "I will repay the love I have received by nurturing fencing hopefuls," and pledged, "We will contribute to the development of fencing and the improvement of performance by hosting prestigious tournaments and securing training camps."
He has already devised concrete plans. He stated, “We plan to hold a grand championship at the end of the year by bringing together medalists from the Korea Middle and High School Fencing Federation President’s Cup, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Cup, and the Yanggu Cup tournaments hosted by our federation,” adding, “We are also preparing a stage for students graduating from middle and high schools.” He further noted, "If we resume the training camps held in summer and winter, it will greatly help not only the athletes’ performance but also the improvement of coaches’ instructional skills."
The third day of the "2019 USA International Fencing Federation Competition," hosted by the USA Fencing Association and the nonprofit organization "Studying Athletes Exercising Students," and organized by Asia Economy, was held on the 7th at Songdo Convensia in Yeonsu-gu, Incheon. Participating athletes are competing in skill. The USA International Fencing Federation Competition (IRC) is a stage where both professional athletes and amateurs compete without distinction, with about 600 youth athletes from 13 countries including the USA and China participating. / Incheon ? Photo by Kim Hyunmin kimhyun81@
He does not advocate a results-oriented approach centered solely on elite sports. While operating the Lorus Fencing Club, President Kim has been committed to establishing a ‘studying athletes, exercising students’ system. This system allows athletes to be recognized for their performance while balancing academics and sports, leading to their selection as national representatives and success in international competitions. President Kim believes that even if athletes do not succeed in sports, they can develop the capabilities to fulfill their roles as members of society.
In fact, President Kim has provided an environment for students to balance studies and fencing, enabling them to enter prestigious American universities such as Stanford, Princeton, Yale, Harvard, Columbia, Brown, and the University of Pennsylvania. He also facilitated active exchanges by creating opportunities for competition between American university fencing team athletes and Korean student athletes.
The Korea-US University Fencing Championship was not held last year due to the spread of COVID-19. Whether it will be held this year is also uncertain. Even the Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed by a year, are at risk of cancellation. President Kim said, “Our federation’s first tournament is scheduled for April,” and pledged, “Although the event’s occurrence is uncertain, we will minimize damage through thorough preparation.”
President Kim also did not forget to encourage the juniors who are fully focused on preparing for the Olympics. "It pains me to think of you who have devoted yourselves to training with only the Olympics in mind for four years. I sincerely hope the COVID-19 situation improves and the day comes when your skills fully blossom."
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