Yoo Nam-kyu

Yoo Nam -kyu ( born June 4, 1968) is a table tennis player from South Korea. He is the first Olympic champion in men's singles.

Career

With 10 years of Yoo Nam -kyu began against the will of his Father with the table tennis games. Quickly successes one. For the first time aroused the left handed penholder 1986 in professional circles stir when he won at the Asian Games against the then world champion Jiang Jialiang. In 1999, he joined on the international stage. From May 2005 to December 2007, he served as head coach of the men's national team of South Korea. After retiring from this post in July 2008, he returned back and stayed until January 2010.

Achievements

Between 1987 and 1999 he participated in all seven world championships. In 1987, he reached the semifinals in doubles with Ahn Jae- hyung. In 1989 he was together with Hyun Jung Hwa in mixed doubles world champion. Four years later, he won silver in the discipline ( with Hyun Jung Hwa ), in a double with Kim Taek -soo he came into the semi-finals.

Three times he was nominated for the Olympic Summer Games. In 1988, table tennis was represented for the first time he won the first gold medal in singles when he defeated in the final pure Korean Kim Ki- voltaic. In this and the following two Summer Olympics he won a bronze medal in each double: 1988 with Ahn Jae- hyung, Kim Taek -soo 1992 and 1996 with Lee Chul- seung.

Private

Yoo Nam- Kyu's parents were in South Korea to affluent layer. He has two brothers. Since 2007, he is married to the handbag designer Yoon Young Sil.

Results from the ITTF database