20 Facts About Sohn Kee-chung

Sohn Kee-chung became the first Korean to win a medal at the Olympic Games, winning gold in the marathon at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Sohn Kee-chung 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 Kee-chung competed under the Japanese name, as Korea was under Japanese occupation during his career.

Sohn Kee-chung was born on August 29,1912, in Sinuiju, Heianhoku-do, Korea, Empire of Japan.

Sohn Kee-chung reportedly had a talent for running even at a young age.

Sohn Kee-chung studied at Yangchung High School in Seoul, which was reputed for its track and field program.

Sohn Kee-chung then enrolled in and graduated from Meiji University in Tokyo.

Sohn Kee-chung first competed in the 1,500 and 5,000 m, but turned to longer distances after winning the Chosen Shrine Competition in October 1933.

On November 3,1935, in Tokyo, Japan, Sohn Kee-chung set a world record in the marathon with a time of 2:26:42, which broke the world record 2:26:44 set by Yasuo Ikenaka of Japan at the Berlin Olympic trials on April 3,1935, in Tokyo, Japan.

Sohn Kee-chung, competing for the Empire of Japan, won the gold medal at the 1936 Summer Olympics in the marathon.

Sohn Kee-chung ran the 42.195 kilometres course in 2:29:19.2, breaking the Olympic record.

Sohn Kee-chung refused to acknowledge the Japanese anthem while it was played at his award ceremony and later told reporters that he was ashamed to run for Japan.

For winning the marathon, Sohn Kee-chung was to have received an ancient Corinthian helmet from the 8th century BC, which was discovered at Olympia, Greece, and later purchased by a newspaper in Athens to give as an Olympic award.

Sohn Kee-chung donated the helmet to the National Museum of Korea, which designated it as the 904th and only Western National Treasure.

Sohn Kee-chung was the team manager for the Korea at the 1948 and 1952 Summer Olympics and was the nation's flag bearer in the London 1948 opening ceremony.

Sohn spent the remainder of his career in South Korea coaching other notable runners such as Suh Yun-Bok, the winner of the Boston Marathon in 1947; Ham Kee-Yong, winner of the Boston Marathon in 1950; and Hwang Young-Cho, who was the gold medalist of the 1992 Summer Olympics marathon, and whom Sohn Kee-chung especially went to Barcelona to see.

Sohn Kee-chung authored an autobiography entitled My Motherland, My Marathon.

Sohn Kee-chung was honored with the Moran Class of the Korean Order of Civil Merit.

Sohn Kee-chung died at midnight on November 15,2002, at age 90 from pneumonia.

Sohn Kee-chung was posthumously made a Grand Cordon of the Order of Sport Merit.