ATHLETE

Sohn Kee-chung

1912 - 2002

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Sohn Kee-chung (Korean: 손기정; Korean pronunciation: [son.kidʑʌŋ]; August 29, 1912 – November 15, 2002) was a Korean Olympic athlete and long-distance runner. He became the first Korean to win a medal at the Olympic Games, winning gold in the marathon at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He was born in the Korean Peninsula, but he was forced to compete as a member of the Japanese delegation because Korea was under Japanese rule at the time. Sohn set an Olympic record of 2 hours 29 minutes 19.2 seconds. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Sohn Kee-chung is the 42nd most popular athlete (up from 47th in 2019), the 57th most popular biography from North Korea (down from 47th in 2019) and the most popular North Korean Athlete.

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Among ATHLETES

Among athletes, Sohn Kee-chung ranks 42 out of 6,025. Before him are Jonathan Edwards, Greg Bell, Ellery Harding Clark, Javier Sotomayor, Marita Koch, and Alvin Kraenzlein. After him are Aladár Gerevich, Leonidas of Rhodes, Arthur Blake, Irena Szewińska, John Woodruff, and Richard Sheldon.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1912, Sohn Kee-chung ranks 93. Before him are Petar Stambolić, Kamala Sohonie, Rihei Sano, Taiichi Ohno, Princess Deokhye, and Lady Bird Johnson. After him are Julia Child, Philibert Tsiranana, Marina Raskova, Chaïm Perelman, Nereo Rocco, and Jacques Ellul. Among people deceased in 2002, Sohn Kee-chung ranks 67. Before him are Mauro Ramos, Hildegard Knef, Yousuf Karsh, Song Hye-rim, Stephen Jay Gould, and Cornelis Johannes van Houten. After him are Abba Eban, Katy Jurado, John Frankenheimer, Joaquín Balaguer, Infanta Beatriz of Spain, and Kim Hunter.

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In North Korea

Among people born in North Korea, Sohn Kee-chung ranks 60 out of 162. Before him are Hwang Jang-yop (1923), Chang of Goryeo (1381), Sansang of Goguryeo (200), Kim Jong-nam (1971), Kim Pyong-il (1954), and Chungsuk of Goryeo (1294). After him are Wonjong of Goryeo (1219), Sukjong of Goryeo (1054), Sindae of Goguryeo (89), Yejong of Goryeo (1079), Chunghye of Goryeo (1315), and Chungseon of Goryeo (1275).

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Among ATHLETES In North Korea

Among athletes born in North Korea, Sohn Kee-chung ranks 1. After him are Choe Chol-su (1969), Om Yun-chol (1991), Kim Un-guk (1988), Rim Jong-sim (1993), Kim Jong-su (1977), Pak Hyon-suk (1985), and Kim Mi-rae (2001).

North Korean born Athletes

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