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Song Dae-nam

Song Dae-nam
Song daenam.jpg
Song Daenam at an event in 2012
Personal information
Born 5 April 1979 (age 37)
Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Residence Seoul, South Korea
Education Cheongju University
Height 178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 90 kg (198 lb)
Sport
Weight class Half-middleweight
Middleweight
Rank 5th degree black belt in Judo
Now coaching South Korea Men's National Team (Head)
An Chang-rim, Lee Seung-soo, Gwak Dong-han, Wang Ki-chun
Namyangju City Hall (Head)
An Baul
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking 5 (6 October 2012)
Song Dae-nam
Medal record
Representing  South Korea
Men's Judo
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2012 London -90 kg

Song Dae-Nam (Hangul: 송대남; Korean pronunciation: [soŋ.dɛ̝.nam]; born 5 April 1979 in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do) is a former South Korean judoka.

Song rose to prominence when he won the gold medal in the middleweight division at the 2012 Olympics. He was then nominated as the flagbearer for Korea in the closing ceremony. He is best known as the head coach of the South Korea Men's National Team, having produced two world champions in his first year as head coach.

Song moved up a weight class from half-middleweight to middleweight in 2012 after constant defeats to fellow team mate Kim Jae-bum and inability to qualify for the Olympics in 2008.

Song is an alumnus of Kumoh Elementary School, Kyung-min Middle School and Kyung-min High School.

Song served in the Republic of Korea Armed Forces as a sergeant, and represented them at the Military World Games in 2003, winning gold in the lightweight category.

A comic book has been written about Song's win at the Olympics.

Song raised his weight from 73kg to 81kg as he transitioned to senior level. In his first international outing, he won the 2004 Rendez-vous Canada in Montreal. He then competed in the 2005 Kracup Korea Open in Jeju, and finished second.

Song's first high-level tournament was at the 2006 Jigoro Kano Cup in Tokyo, but lost to Japan's Hirotaka Kato in the final, settling for silver. He competed at the Super World Cup in Paris a month later, losing to Italy's Giuseppe Maddaloni for his third consecutive silver. A week later, Song finally won at the World Cup in Vienna, beating France's Alain Schmitt. He continued his winning streak at the 2006 Kracup Korea Open, winning gold.


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Wikipedia

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