Jang Hye-ock (Korean장혜옥; Hanja張惠玉; born 9 February 1977) is a badminton player from South Korea who affiliate with Chungnam Provincial office team.[1] She won the gold medal at the 1995 IBF World Championships in women's doubles, playing with Gil Young-ah. At 18 years, 3 months, and 19 days, she was the youngest player ever to win a World Championship title, in any discipline.[2] The same year she won the 1995 All England Open Badminton Championships. She reached a career high as women's doubles world number 1 with Gil in August 1995.[3] Jang competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics, and she won the silver medal in the women's doubles together with Gil Young-ah.

Jang Hye-ock
Personal information
CountrySouth Korea
Born (1977-02-09) 9 February 1977 (age 47)
Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, South Korea
Height1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
HandednessRight
Women's & mixed doubles
Highest ranking1 (WD with Gil Young-ah August 1995)
Medal record
Representing  South Korea
Women's badminton
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1996 Atlanta Women's doubles
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1995 Lausanne Women's doubles
Sudirman Cup
Bronze medal – third place 1995 Lausanne Mixed team
Uber Cup
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Jakarta Women's team
Bronze medal – third place 1996 Hong Kong Women's team
Bronze medal – third place 1998 Hong Kong Women's team
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 1994 Hiroshima Women's doubles
Gold medal – first place 1994 Hiroshima Women's team
Silver medal – second place 1994 Hiroshima Mixed doubles
Asian Championships
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Shanghai Women's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Shanghai Mixed doubles
Asian Cup
Gold medal – first place 1994 Beijing Women's doubles
Gold medal – first place 1996 Seoul Women's doubles
Silver medal – second place 1995 Qingdao Women's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Beijing Mixed doubles
BWF profile

Career

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Jang Hye-ock entered the national team in 1993 when she was in the second grade of Seongshim Girls' High School. Although she has a small physique, Jang was excellent as a play-maker, supporting her power and spirit to compete. In February 1996, she undergo surgery for an enlarged rib and after recovered her injury, she competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics, won a silver medal in the women's doubles with Gil Young-ah.[4]

In 1998, after playing two tournaments in Europe, she suffered a hip injury, and then she decided to leave the national team and the international tournaments. After her retirement, she keeps playing domestically for her local team and later for Jeonbuk Bank. She is now coaching in her alma mater, Seongshim Girls' High School. She did also coach the national junior team for about 3 years, back when Lee Yong-dae was on the team.[2]

Achievements

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Olympic Games

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Women's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1996 GSU Sports Arena, Atlanta, United States   Gil Young-ah   Ge Fei
  Gu Jun
5–15, 5–15   Silver

World Championships

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Women's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1995 Malley Sports Centre, Lausanne, Switzerland   Gil Young-ah   Finarsih
  Lili Tampi
3–15, 15–11, 15–10   Gold

Asian Games

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Women's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1994 Tsuru Memorial Gymnasium, Hiroshima, Japan   Shim Eun-jung   Chung So-young
  Gil Young-ah
15–9, 15–3   Gold

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1994 Tsuru Memorial Gymnasium, Hiroshima, Japan   Kang Kyung-jin   Yoo Yong-sung
  Chung So-young
10–15, 12–15   Silver

Asian Championships

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Women's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1994 Shanghai Gymnasium, Shanghai, China   Shim Eun-jung   Ge Fei
  Gu Jun
6–15, 8–15   Bronze

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1994 Shanghai Gymnasium, Shanghai, China   Yoo Yong-sung   Wang Xiaoyuan
  Liu Jianjun
6–15, 15–6, 5–15   Bronze

Asian Cup

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Women's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1994 Beijing Gymnasium, Beijing, China   Chung So-young   Chen Ying
  Wu Yuhong
15–9, 15–5   Gold
1995 Qingdao, China   Gil Young-ah   Ge Fei
  Gu Jun
7–15, 17–18   Silver
1996 Olympic Gymnasium No. 2, Seoul, South Korea   Chung So-young   Indarti Issolina
  Deyana Lomban
15–7, 15–8   Gold

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1994 Beijing Gymnasium, Beijing, China   Yoo Yong-sung   Aryono Miranat
  Eliza Nathanael
10–15, 16–18   Bronze

IBF World Grand Prix

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The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) since 1983.

Women's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1994 Swedish Open   Shim Eun-jung   Chung So-young
  Gil Young-ah
9–15, 11–15   Runner-up
1994 All England Open   Shim Eun-jung   Chung So-young
  Gil Young-ah
15–7, 8–15, 4–15   Runner-up
1994 Hong Kong Open   Shim Eun-jung   Ge Fei
  Gu Jun
15–11, 18–14   Winner
1994 China Open   Bang Soo-hyun   Ge Fei
  Gu Jun
8–15, 2–15   Runner-up
1995 Korea Open   Gil Young-ah   Ge Fei
  Gu Jun
15–13, 1–15, 15–11   Winner
1995 All England Open   Gil Young-ah   Eliza Nathanael
  Zelin Resiana
15–6, 15–3   Winner
1995 Malaysia Open   Gil Young-ah   Julie Bradbury
  Joanne Wright
10–15, 11–15   Runner-up
1995 Singapore Open   Gil Young-ah   Ge Fei
  Gu Jun
12–15, 7–15   Runner-up
1995 U.S. Open   Gil Young-ah   Kim Mee-hyang
  Kim Shin-young
15–9, 15–4   Winner
1995 Canadian Open   Gil Young-ah   Qin Yiyuan
  Tang Yongshu
15–10, 15–4   Winner
1995 Hong Kong Open   Gil Young-ah   Julie Bradbury
  Joanne Wright
17–15, 15–5   Winner
1995 China Open   Gil Young-ah   Ge Fei
  Gu Jun
12–15, 15–10, 3–15   Runner-up
1995 Thailand Open   Gil Young-ah   Ge Fei
  Gu Jun
18–17, 15–6   Winner
1995 World Grand Prix Finals   Gil Young-ah   Ge Fei
  Gu Jun
7–15, 12–15   Runner-up
1996 Japan Open   Gil Young-ah   Ge Fei
  Gu Jun
15–5, 14–17, 15–10   Winner
1996 Korea Open   Gil Young-ah   Kim Mee-hyang
  Kim Shin-young
11–15, 15–11, 15–4   Winner
1998 Swedish Open   Ra Kyung-min   Huang Nanyan
  Liu Zhong
15–12, 15–9   Winner
1998 All England Open   Ra Kyung-min   Ge Fei
  Gu Jun
7–15, 7–15   Runner-up

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1993 China Open   Yoo Yong-sung   Chen Xingdong
  Sun Man
15–12, 9–15, 8–15   Runner-up
1994 Swedish Open   Yoo Yong-sung   Ron Michels
  Erica van den Heuvel
15–9, 10–15, 18–17   Winner

References

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  1. ^ "Tournament Personnel Data". www.koreabadminton.org. Badminton Korea Association. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  2. ^ a b Hearn, Don (18 November 2013). "Exclusive interview with the youngest ever badminton World Champion". www.badzine.net. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  3. ^ "길영아.장혜옥組 세계랭킹 1위에-국제배드민턴聯 발표". JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). 5 August 1995. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  4. ^ "[스웨덴 배드민턴] 장혜옥, 투병재기의 셔틀콕". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 5 March 1998. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
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